The Night Bears Not the Silence
by WhyteFireWolf
Summary: A strange new Evil is now amongst Middle Earth and the Fellowship (Boromir included!) is sent to destroy it. A rogue, sarcastic, anti-social lady Elf joins the adventure, being one of the few people to know anything about this Evil. R&R appreciated.
1. The Coming

A/N: I do not own any of Tolkien's characters....The Fellowship of the Ring, Middle Earth, Bree, or anything else including The Lord of the Rings. The only things I own is the new girl/rider.  
  
A/N: This is my first actual fanfiction I've bothered writing down, however, I do daydream a lot and all of those are fanfictions. I've read all the books, although it was along time ago, so sorry if I forget something. If seen the movie, too...  
  
I want to become and author someday, so I hope you enjoy this. I tried getting into the Tolkien-type writing, but sadly, I feel as though my own style comes out more. Ah well, let the fun begin! Please R/R...all suggestions/comments/etc. welcome!  
  
Oh yes, the poems/songs in front of every chapter are mine unless otherwise noted. The beginning of this one: Even one star shines/In the darkest night has been in my head for days, I don't know whether I made it up or if I found it on the internet somewhere. So if someone else made it up before me, they own it. The Anorïa,Anorïa poem IS mine. Thankies!  
  
Oh, yeah...one more thing....this story takes place two years after the Lord of the Rings trilogy!  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
**Chapter I: The Coming**  
  
  
  
_Even one star shines  
In the darkest night.  
  
Anorïa, Anorïa,   
Even the Sun now cries for  
Your return._  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
  
The night crept upon Bree, slowly turning the sweet orange-filled sunset into pure darkness. The gates outside of Bree stood locked and watched, silent barriers for whatever evil had started to brew in Mordor again. Nothing moved in the still night, yet the presence of Mordor could now be felt again. For two years Middle Earth had been free, two years which Middle Earth had prospered.   
  
The day, oh the day...in the day everything seemed such at ease. For so many, especially Hobbits, the night's worries did not frighten them. Nothing threatened during the day, and during the night they slept. So the presence went unnoticed.   
  
The wind blew, bringing a new sound with it. A horse's gallop. Seconds later a black horse with a black-cloaked rider came riding up to Bree's gates. The rider gracefully jumped off the horse's back, holding the reins in its left hand, and rapped lightly on the gate. A minute passed, and the rider waited patiently. It knocked again, yet slightly harder this time. The gate's window slid open and an old man looked hesitantly out.  
  
"State your name and business..." The man gasped as he noticed he was talking to a rider dressed in black. He stepped back and slammed the window shut. The gate's extra locks could be heard being put into place.  
  
The rider, seemingly annoyed, finally spoke. The voice that came from it was a strange, fair voice of a maiden...almost elvish. Yet it had too much dryness and sarcasm...the owner of it, the rider, it seems had seen her fair share of harsh times.  
  
"Open the gate, Baret, old man! I come only to seek a friend at the Prancing Pony, then shall be on my way. And if I were a Black Rider, the gate would not stop me."   
  
The locks could be heard being taken off once again, and the window slide open one more.  
  
"The Prancing Pony? And then you'll be off? Very well, then...it's just the night that makes me so skittish."  
  
The old man, Baret, opened the gate and the rider walked through with her steed, only nodding slightly at the man.  
  
Bree was a strange sight to behold at night, for no longer was it full of people drinking and laughing, singing and dancing, and trying to get back to their homes. No, there was not a single soul out on the street...even the drunkards were in their beds trying to sleep away the forewarnings the night gave. The girl's light footsteps barely made a sound as she walked throughout the town. As she came to the Prancing Pony, she left her steed outside to wait for her.   
  
The inside of the Prancing Pony was slightly more friendly than the streets...with low lights, and a few people here and there drinking or playing cards. The rider looked around, and spying another dark-looking figure by the window, started to approach it. The figure had been facing the window, yet when the girl approached it, it turned around, already knowing the girl had come.  
  
"So, you did trust the message I sent to you," the figure spoke. The voice was female, yet deeper and rougher than the other girl's. It spoke of evils the world knew not of, could never know of, and worry for the future.  
  
"I could not see of any reason to doubt it," replied the rider.  
  
A chuckle came from the other figure. "Always doubt, always doubt..." She seemed to be lost in her own thoughts for a second, then came back quickly. "Have you noticed the night?"  
  
The rider nodded. "Indeed I have."  
  
"And do you not worry?"  
  
"I worry, Sai'an.* I worry. Yet I know not of its origins, though I have a notion."  
  
At that moment, the candle by the pair went out, leaving both of them in darkness. The figure beside the window looked around in suspicion, almost as though someone could be listening. She shook her head and motioned the rider to follow her outside.   
  
Outside, the figure looked up at the stars, seeming as though she were looking for a sign. "There is no other explanation," she said, looking back down at the rider.  
  
"But it does not make sense for it to appear so suddenly."   
  
"In times like these, Ra'si** sense is not what you must rely on."  
  
A harsh wind blew, making the rider draw her cloak even closer to her.  
  
The figure whispered quickly and harshly. "Saroshder has come. Now we shall see Middle Earth's fate…Haste! This is the time you must go!"  
  
With that, the rider jumped on her black horse and quickly rode out of Bree, knowing where her path would lead her.  
Behind her, the wind's whispery voice followed her. "Middle Earth...you must go...Saroshder...the fate..."  
  
  
  
*Sai'an: 'Elder', 'Wise One'  
** Ra'si: 'Little One'


	2. The Journey to Rivendell

A/N: I don't own anything to do with the Lord of the Rings, including Frodo, Sam, Pippin, Merry, Rivendell, and everything else to go along with it!  
  
A/N: Sorry for the first two chapters being slightly short, but hopefully they'll get longer as more things begin to happen. :) Thanks wildcardgal for reviewing my story!!   
  
I love reviews, so feel free to post 'em... :)  
  
  
  
  
  
**Chapter 2: The Journey to Rivendell**  
  
  
_Oh today I saw a pretty little thing  
Her hair a golden yellow  
A-shinning in the sun  
  
Dum da lee,   
A song I sing for you  
Dum da sa,  
Come and dance with me…_  
**-Part of a Hobbit Folk Song**  
  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"Mr. Frodo!"  
  
A small halfling turned around at looked at the other halfling that had just called his name. "What, Sam?"  
  
"There's only a bit more food left from lunch…do you want some of it, or should me, Pippin, an' Merry just share it?"  
  
Frodo laughed. "You three share it. But we've really got to get off if we ever want to get to Rivendell before Winter…so maybe you could eat while we walk?"   
  
Pippin made a face and laughed. "But, Frodo, that takes away some of the enjoyment of eating!"  
  
Frodo got up from the tree stump he had been sitting on and put away the last of the pans from their lunch. "I'm sure you can manage!"  
  
Pippin, Merry, and Sam split of the remainder of their lunch between themselves, then started to follow Frodo who had been waiting for them. They started to make their way through the golden trees and shadows to their destination.  
  
The crisp Fall air smelled of Winter all around. A week or two more and the hillsides of the Shire would be covered in snow. The hobbits, though, were far away from the Shire, in hopes of reaching Rivendell before Winter. The route they were taking was essentially the same route they took when Frodo had the Ring, yet this time there was no danger. The quartet was taking their time, enjoying what could not have been enjoyed by earlier adventures.  
  
The golden woods that surrounded them on all sides seemed to be alive. The bird's song seemed to be its voice, the small breeze that blew once in a while was it's breath, and the canopy of leaves above the hobbit's heads were its eyes. Before, Frodo had never seen this wonder. Yet now, he wondered how in all the world he could've missed it.  
  
"I do say, do you think Elrond will remember us?" questioned Merry.  
  
"He's the one that held the secret-council-thing, isn't he? I'm sure he will, since he did allow us on the journey and all," reasoned Pippin.  
  
Frodo sighed. "It sure will be wonderful to see the Elves again, won't it?"   
  
"I hope they have some nice food there," Pippin remarked.  
  
"Of course they do! Don't you remember all those foods they had there? Blueberry pie, apple cobbler, roasted turkey…." Merry reminded Pippin.  
  
Pippin's mouth almost started to water. "Mmm….and the chocolate cakes they had…"  
  
"Come on, guys! You're starting to make me hungry again…." Sam complained. He ate the last piece of turkey he had been eating from lunch.  
  
"You're just now finishing that, Sam? You haven't learn much from us yet, have you?" Pippin laughed.  
  
"Aye….we were done with our lunch much earlier! Food shouldn't be sitting 'round for long, you know." Merry agreed with Pippin.  
  
Frodo laughed. How wonderful it was to be traveling again, with his friends! When he had first gotten the urge to visit the Elves again, he believed he would be taking to the road alone. Pippin, Merry, and Sam all had nice lives in the Shire. Frodo was surprised when they refused to let him leave without them coming along for the journey.  
  
"It is me and Merry's duty, being the cleverest ones around and all, to make sure you don't get yourself into trouble," Pippin had told Frodo.  
  
"Wouldn't it be nice to see the rest of the Fellowship again?" Frodo thought aloud.  
  
All the hobbits agreed in unison. Not only had they all missed the friendship that had been found in the Fellowship, but also the adventure had been missing in their lives since the two years the Ring had been destroyed. None of them were sad to know the Ring was gone and Sauron destroyed, yet the adventure that had disappeared sadden all of them.  
  
"I didn't think I would ever say this, but I do miss the journey we took with them," Sam replied.  
  
Pippin cried out in delight. "Look! We aren't far from Rivendell now!"  
  
The others quickly looked around, not noticing where they had been going and instead remembering past times with the Fellowship.  
  
"We are almost there! And we won't have to deal with traveling in snow!" Merry replied.  
  
Frodo grinned. With the turning of the corner of the ill-used path the hobbits were using, Rivendell could now be seen. The home of the elves was still as beautiful as ever, with the forest around it still green, unaffected by the coming of Winter, and the lakes and river reflecting the setting sun. It had not changed even a little since the Council had been called there, but nothing ever really changed in Rivendell.  
  
Merry had picked up his pace and was almost running down to Rivendell. Looking over his shoulder, he called back, "Last one to Rivendell is a squashed cranberry!"  
  
Frodo laughed, and with that, all four hobbits were running to Rivendell.


	3. A New Council

A/N: Same old, same old....I don't own anything to do with the Lord of the Rings, including Frodo, Sam, Pippin, Merry, Rivendell, and everything else to go along with it! Only thing I own is my new character.... :)   
  
A/N: Alright, I just need to say this really quick. I REALLY would like more than one review...just something to know that my story is actually being read...but, of course, if you absolutely hate my story, I understand why you're not reviewing. But you just don't know how happy I would be to have more than one review! :) Alright, from this chapter on, it'll be a bit more interesting (hopefully, at least. :) )   
  
I am aware that Frodo, Galadriel, Gandalf, Elrond, and most other elves go into the West at the end of the trilogy, yet for my purposes please disregard that. I normally don't like to say "Oh, just don't worry about that..." but for this, well, I sort of have to say it. Of course, there will be an explanation on why Boromir is still alive. Just wanted to let you know...thanks for your time...AND DON'T FORGET TO R/R! :)  
  
  
  
  
  
**Chapter 3: A New Council**  
  
  
  
_The moon's glow  
Dims with every passing nightmare.  
And hopes lose their way  
Along the pathway of night._  
  
  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Returning to Rivendell was like returning home after a long, exhausting trip. The hobbits had not even stopped to slowly wade across the river that had separated Rivendell from the surrounding woods. Instead, they went splashing through in excitement. Rivendell seemed to be so much brighter than the rest of the world at the moment. The buildings shone with such a splendor while the grass was a perfect shade of green. Although he did not admit it, Frodo was starting to feel as though Rivendell was more like home than the Shire. It's not that he didn't love the Shire in its own little way, yet it's rivers, it's woods...they spoke nothing of the outside world. Frodo had gotten so used to the outside world that he didn't like just sitting there in his house and not know what was going on outside of the Shire. For Sam, Rivendell could never be home. Yet, he could live with it if that was where Frodo went, for he was still following Frodo around out of habit. Merry and Pippin didn't seem to mind either way...laughs could be found anywhere, and that's all they really needed to survive. That and food.   
  
Once across the river, a calmness spread over the hobbits before they were even aware of it. They slowed down to a walk and looked around in amazement. The beautiful singing of two elven maidens could be heard off in the distance. The joyful music brought a smile to Frodo's lips. Being in Rivendell lifted his spirits more than any of Merry's and Pippin's jokes could have ever. As the four walked onwards, a breeze blew the opposite way, sending a sweet smell towards the hobbits. It seemed to be a mixture of honey, flowers, and maybe even a bit of cinnamon bread.   
  
As they walked forward, the hobbits finally could see the home of Elrond. A magnificant site it was....with white, glistening walls, red, blue, yellow, pink, white, purple, and every color in between painted the flowers around Rivendell. It looked so regal, yet inviting at the same time.  
  
Pippin turned to Frodo, and right when he was about to say something, he spotted something that got him excited. Of course, many things get Pippin excited.  
  
As he went running towards what he had seen, Merry looked where Pippin had been looking only slightly earlier. "Look! Seems like we won't have to wait around very long to be noticed!"  
  
Sam became worried instantly. "Is it orcs? Maybe we should run...."  
  
"Don't be silly, Sam. Orcs don't come to Rivendell."  
  
"And I doubt Pippin would go running to an orc, either," remarked Frodo. He turned around to see where Pippin had run off to, and laughed merrily. "Come on now, Sam! It's Master Elrond!" With that, Frodo took off after Pippin. Merry followed quickly behind, almost pushing Sam over for being so slow, and Sam followed behind Merry.  
  
Elrond was standing by a tree, about six feet away from the shoreline of a lake. He stood, lost in thought. So lost in thought was he that he didn't even hear the noisy hobbits coming up behind him. As Pippin reached Elrond, he stood several feet behind the elf, grinning. Just as Frodo, Merry, and Sam were reaching him, Pippin could contain his excitement no more. "Master Elrond! Look, oh look, look who's come back to visit!"  
  
Elrond was visibly startled by the hobbits standing behind him, and even more startled that he hadn't heard them come up behind him. He turned around quickly hearing the voice behind him, only to see four grinning hobbits staring back up at him. He smiled and laughed lightly, "Well, well, I hadn't expected to see any of you again!"   
  
Frodo laughed. "I was growing tired of the Shire, and although I was going to journey alone, I couldn't stop these three from following me!"  
  
Merry grinned. "That's right! We're going follow you around the rest of your life!"  
  
"Yes, yes, I see that you can't easily get rid of these three, now can you?" Elrond chuckled, obviously remembering the time Sam, Merry, and Pippin had attended the Secret Council that they were not supposed to know about. "Come, let us go indoors and you can tell me how you have kept busy for two years." Elrond smiled and started walking, with the hobbits following quickly behind him.  
  
Pippin and Merry were chatting away, rarely stopping to take a breath. Although Elrond seemed to be perfectly happy, Frodo stilled wondered. He coudn't forget how Elrond had looked when they first met him at the lake. The fact that Elrond hadn't heard the four of them running up to him would be disturbing in itself, yet paired with the worry that was on Elrond's face when he first turned around to see them created a nagging suspicion in Frodo's mind. What could be causing Elrond's worry? Was there another evil in Middle Earth that is being hidden until something could be done about it? Frodo was sure the Merry, Pippin, and Sam hadn't the slightest notion that Elrond was worried about something. Whenever he had the chance, Frodo decided, he would ask Elrond what was wrong.  
  
The group of five sat around a table eating, well, more like the hobbits were eating. Merry was trying to eat as many cream puffs as possible, yet he took breaks to talk. "The Shire's been doing beautifully, really. The Bagginses are known for being even more strange than they were, though. With Bilbo AND Frodo going on journeys and all..."  
  
Elrond smiled. "Sounds like you hobbits are having lovely lives...more tea?"  
  
"Ooh, yes, please! Elvish food has to be the best out there, I must say...." Pippin replied, taking another cup of tea.  
  
"That's quite a compliment coming from you, Peregrin...."  
  
Merry yawned, and then tried to play it off like a little child might when he's having fun.  
  
"Looks like you need a nice bed tonight, Meriadoc. Your rooms are already ready for you...I've arranged them to be the same ones you had when you first came to Rivendell...I presume you remember where they are?"  
  
"Yes, we remember where they were...most comfortable bed I've ever been in...and sleeping does sound like a good idea right now...thank you!"  
  
Merry walked out of the room, almost staggering because of being tired. Pippin and Sam were growing just as tired as Merry, and a nice bed sounded superb, and they left right after Merry. Frodo started to leave, making it look like he was going to bed also, wanting none of his friends to hear what he was about to ask Elrond about. Elrond had already turned away from the table they had been sitting at, and was now staring out of a window at the black night.   
  
Frodo approached Elrond hesitantly. "Elrond?"  
  
Elrond turned around with a small smile on his face. "Yes, Frodo? Have you forgotten where your room was?"  
  
Frodo shook his head. "Not exactly. I was just wondering...well..."  
  
"What is it Frodo?"  
  
"Well..." Frodo was finding that the question was harder to ask than he had thought it would be. "I just noticed....you...you've looked sort of worried. Is there something wrong?"  
  
Elrond tried to smiled, but it did little to mask the disturbed look on his face. "Wrong? No, nothing. There's just been a lot going on, that's it, Frodo."  
  
Frodo wasn't convinced. "There's been things going on in the past, too, and you hadn't acted this way. It's just that....that...you don't seem to be quite 'here'. Even when I had the Ring it seemed you were a bit more 'here' than you are now."  
  
Elrond sighed. "Have I truely gotten that bad?"  
  
"Well...yes. We, me, Sam, Merry, and Pippin, were even able to walk up behind you and startle you. I want to know what's wrong. I've dealt with the Ring, I can deal with any new news...it can't be worse than the news of the Ring."  
  
"Frodo, this is something I wish you to know not of. You have had to bear enough pain in your life." Elrond seemed to grow distant for a few minutes.  
  
Frodo started getting worried at Elrond's distance, so spoke up. "I can take the news, just please, please, let me know about it!"  
  
Elrond looked slightly pained as he looked at Frodo. "I had hoped you would just let me keep the news to myself, and save you any more grief. But, obviously, that is not a choice. There is a new threat to Middle Earth, Frodo, one that very few people know anything about. In the day, its presence can go unnoticed, but in the night...in the night you can feel the evil.... "  
  
Frodo looked around. "Evil? I do not feel any now, yet it is night..."  
  
"That is merely because you are in Rivendell. Evil is rarely felt here. I worry about this new evil...it might prove to be as bad as the Ring, or even worse."  
  
Frodo looked concerned. "Can we do something about it?"  
  
"I am trying, I am trying." Elrond looked at Frodo, almost searching him. "I will tell you this now, for I'm sure you will find out tomorrow if I do not tell you. I am holding a Council again, much like the one we had for the Ring. We must figure out what we will do against this threat...."  
  
Frodo looked almost gleeful and concerned at the same time. "Can I come? Oh please...."  
  
"I figured you would want to come. You may, of course, but I, nor anybody else, is expecting you to do anything about this new threat. You have helped us greatly with the Ring..."   
  
Just then, Sam, Merry, and Pippin came bursting through the doorway, all tumbling over themselves. Pippin was below both Merry and Sam, looking quite foolish. He grinned up at Elrond. "We can come, too, can't we? If Frodo's going...."  
  
Elrond gave a weary little smile. "I suppose nothing in the world would keep you three away from the Council whilst Frodo was there, so you have my consent to go along with Frodo. Now, off to bed, all four of you! I won't have you falling asleep tomorrow..."


	4. The Night Brings News

A/N: I don't own anything to do with tLoR...::sniff sniff::  
  
  
  
  
  
**Chapter 4: The Night Brings News**  
  
  
  
_The nightingale sings of tales  
Told by the dying sun  
And whispers of dark rumors  
Uttered by precious stars_  
  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
A dark figure stealthily walked among the trees of Rivendell, unnoticed by the elves. It was not unusual that this figure was able to walk where she wished without being found, for that was what it had done its entire life. A black horse walked by its side, blending in with the night almost as well as its master did. They had had a long journey from the Prancing Pony, yet had made it to Rivendell just in time. The pair rounded a corner and found themselves staring at the noble buildings of Rivendell.   
  
"There it is...the place I have worked so hard to stay away from is now the place I am forced to go, Ashaü," breathed the figure.  
  
The girl closed her eyes. The memories were too loud to block from her mind. A home Rivendell had tried to be to her. But it wasn't, it couldn't, it never would be...she belonged no where. That was why she had become a wanderer, the open roads always welcomed her with open arms. She seethed with an anger for Rivendell, yet at the same time was rueful at the idea she could not count on Rivendell to be there for her.  
  
It was no matter, however, for she had learned to be self-sufficient. She had learned enough things at Rivendell to be able to live on her own. Once she left Rivendell, she never looked back, and never did, until now.  
  
She shook her head and cleared her mind from all thoughts of her past. That was not her worry right now, her worry was to find out when the Council would be held. She wouldn't be invited, yet it was essential for her to go. Elrond might know many things, but this evil that brewed in Mordor was something he knew naught about.   
  
The cloaked figure laughed to herself when she thought about the surprise on Elrond's face when he finally sees her again. I'm sure the old elf thinks I'm dead by now, she thought.   
  
Taking the horse's rein's in her hands, the girl started traveling towards Rivendell. She had no idea on how she would find out when the Council would be held, or where, yet she knew she must find out.   
  
Luck was with her, for once she got close to the main building she could see one light burning on the second floor. Smiling, she left her horse in the darkest patch of the woods, knowing it would not be found there. It was late enough at night that there were not many elves outside, and even if there were, they were not going to be on their guard for an intruder tonight. The hood of her cloak had fallen off her head, letting the wind catch her medium length, brown hair and blew it in front of her. Annoyed, she grabbed her hair, pulling it to the nape of her neck, and pulled the cloak's hood over her head.  
  
Now cloaked once again from head to toe in black, it was almost impossible to see the small frame of a girl run quickly towards the building, her feet barely touching the grass below them. Knowing time was running out quickly, she searched swiftly for a way up the wall. A large vine plant grew up the side of the building, anchored in enough to be used as a climbing ladder. She scurried up the vine, landing quietly on the overhang which hung over the first floor. The windows for the second floor stood right above her head. The lighted window was over about four windows from where she stood, and knowing she would never hear anything from this far away and being outside, she progressed towards the window, only to find Elrond staring out of it. Cursing herself for not being more careful, she backed up until she was right against the wall, blending in perfectly. She hoped that Elrond had not seen her, yet she knew that the chances were that he had. Steadying her breath, she tried to listen to find out whether her prescence had been observed. Surprisingly, Elrond had not noticed, and seemed to be deep in thought. However, Elrond being deep in thought did not help her. She would find out nothing about the Council if he spoke nothing. About to creep away, she heard a small voice come from within.  
  
It was the little halfling known as Frodo. "Elrond?"  
  
This seemed to bring Elrond out of his thoughts. "Yes, Frodo? Have you forgotten where your room was?"  
  
The cloaked girl sighed. This was not going to help her at all. She needed to know about the Council! Then, suddenly, she perked up, listening.  
  
"I can take the news, just please, please, let me know about it!" A desperate Frodo spoke up.  
  
"I had hoped you would just let me keep the news to myself, and save you any more grief. But, obviously, that is not a choice. There is a new threat to Middle Earth, Frodo, one that very few people know anything about. In the day, its presence can go unnoticed, but in the night...in the night you can feel the evil.... "  
  
The girl smiled. So Elrond does know a little about the threat, she thought.  
  
Before she could try and decipher what Elrond had just said anymore, the information which she had been looking for was said. "I will tell you this now, for I'm sure you will find out tomorrow if I do not tell you. I am holding a Council again, much like the one we had for the Ring. We must figure out what we will do against this threat...." Elrond said to Frodo.  
  
Tomorrow? I did come just in time, then, she thought.  
  
"We can come, too, can't we? If Frodo's going...."  
  
It seemed as though Frodo was going to this Council...along with some, three, it seemed, of his friends which had been on the first journey.  
  
The wind blew harder, and the girl wrapped the cloak tighter around her, stopping it from flying off her. She crept to the edge of the overhand and dropped gracefully to the ground below, barely even making a sound when her feet touched the ground. Once she felt true ground below her, she ran quickly towards where her horse had been hidden. It was obvious no one had found the horse, and with that she took the horse and lead it deeper into the woods, yet keeping Rivendell's buildings in sight.   
  
Although she had hoped to be able to camp further away from Rivendell's buildings, it was impossible. She needed to be able to see when Elrond and the hobbits left for the Council, and she must follow them. After settling her horse down for the night, she jumped skillfully into a tree. From there, she fell asleep for the night, knowing in the morning she would have to be quite alert.


	5. Suspicious Meetings

A/N: Dang!! I STILL don't own any of the Lord of the Rings. I really need to buy some John Edward's (Crossing Over With John Edwards...it's on the SciFi channel) tickets and talk to J.R.R. Tolkien about this whole thing...I mean, I'm sure we can come up with some agreement.....  
  
A/N: Hehe! Finally, the Fellowship meets the new Rider. Alright, so her 'real' name is original, but I needed a 'nickname', too...sort of like Aragorn has 'Strider'. So, I've thought, and I've thought, and I've come up with one name that fits her perfectly. I know it's been used in X-Men, but I WAS NOT THINKING ABOUT THAT WHEN I CAME UP WITH THE NAME! And the Rider has NO CONNECTION TO THE CHARACTER IN X-MEN.....if anybody can come up with a better 'nickname' for her, lemme know....  
  
Please R/R!! I'll love you forever and ever if you do! Thank you sooo much to Lady Jean Greenleaf for her reviews!! ::grin::  
  
  
  
  
  
**Chapter 5: Suspicious Meetings**  
  
  
  
_When the darkness meets  
The day's evening rays  
Times of old shall be remembered  
By the darkening shadows on the horizon._  
  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
  
The first morning light made it's way into Frodo's room, disregarding the cloth blinds which hung from the windows to stop it. Yawning, the young hobbit hopped out of his bed and made his way towards his clothes. Rummaging through the clothes he had packed for the journey, he pulled out the nicest outfit he had with him. Although it was nothing special, at least the rigors of travel did not show on this outfit, which was his normal, white shirt with brown pants and jacket.   
  
Running his hand through his hair, he walked down stairs to the dining room. Not surprisingly, Pippin and Merry were already there, along with Sam. Frodo took his seat beside them and started to eat his breakfast, which, by the way, was eggs (sunny side up, if you please), bacon, buttered toast, milk, orange juice, and muffins.  
  
"Mr. Frodo, when do you s'pose the Council will be?" Sam asked, his mouth full of food.  
  
Frodo finished the bacon he had been eating before replying. "Sometime after breakfast. I can't see it being put off too much longer...but I doubt Elrond wishes you to go around saying there is a secret Council today. Who knows who might show up!"  
  
Pippin and Merry didn't even seem to notice the conversation going on between Frodo and Sam. They were too busy trying to eat the most food.   
  
Everybody in the dining room this morning seemed to be in good spirits, making the hobbits enjoy their trip to Rivendell even more. The upcoming Council bothered none of the four, since this seemed to be a mission that they would not have to help out with. In fact, the only real reason for them even going to the Council was because their curiosity had gotten the better of them. Frodo had been chatting merrily with an elf that had been seated across from him, when he turned his head to the left and spotted Elrond sitting a bit further away. As though he felt Frodo's eyes on him, Elrond looked in Frodo's direction. Elrond gave a small nod towards Frodo, then turning back and finishing his conversation with an important looking elf, he excused himself from the table.  
  
Surprisingly, Pippin, who had just finished the eggs he had been eating, looked at Frodo with a questioning look. "I do say, it looks as though Elrond's going somewhere. I don't s'pose it's to the Council...are we going to leave now, too, Frodo?"  
  
Pushing out his chair, Frodo replied to Pippin. "Believe me, it's to the Council he is heading. Unless we want to miss it, we should get going now."  
  
Frodo walked out of the main entrance to Rivendell, followed quickly by Sam, and then Pippin and Merry, who had both just shoved whole muffins into their mouths. All of them remembered the small enclosure secreted away within trees and flowers in which they had gone to their first Council. That had been the place the Fellowship had been created, and the first day of a real adventure.  
  
"It's this way, if I remember correctly," Frodo declared, striking off to his right.  
  
~*~  
  
At the first sign of light, the girl awoke and climbed down from her bed in the tree. She pulled down the hood of her cloak, knowing it would be of no help of her during the day. Grabbing a small pail that she carried along with her on her horse, she scouted out the nearest river and gathered water there. Bringing the water back with her, she gave most of it to her horse, and kept the rest for herself. Her breakfast consisted only of some bread and some cooked meat from a few nights before, which she had carefully preserved so it would save for a few days. Eating that quickly, she left her horse in the same place again, and set out to get a closer look at Rivendell.   
  
The main building of Rivendell was busy with elves coming and going, along with many having breakfast within. She was sure that Elrond was in there, and she watched closely to make sure he didn't leave the building without her knowing. Although she had been in Rivendell before, she did not know where the Councils were held. Without someone to follow there, she would be lost and her mission would have failed. Exactly what her mission held for her, she did not know. She did know, however, that she must go to the Council and give her knowledge in whatever way was possible.   
  
From the corner of her eye she saw a figure that walked with an important air around him, drawing her eye instantly towards him. Elrond. Exactly the person she had been waiting for. She started to move after him, in intention of following him. However, her mind quickly processed what she was about to do...and realized it was foolish to follow the leader of Rivendell. He would notice her prescence too easily...but, she suddenly remembered about four hobbits that were going to the meeting also. Last night they had not been of importance, but today, they were her way into the Council.  
  
She waited in anticipation, fearing that they had already left before Elrond without her realizing. Just as she was about to give up hope and track down Elrond, she saw four small sized creatures come out of the building's entrance.  
  
"It's this way, if I remember correctly," one hobbit said loudly.  
  
The girl smiled. Perfect. They knew where the Council was and they wouldn't realize she was following them. She advanced towards them, yet kept a safe distance between the small group and herself. They seemed to be following a road which lead throughout Rivendell...it seemed almost like the scenic way through Rivendell. The hobbits talked loudly, and she could not help but overhear them, and she found a little amusement in hearing them talk.  
  
"Wouldn't it be funny if Strider were there?" piped up one little blond-haired one.  
  
"Y'never know...he is King of Gondor and all...it would seem fitting that he come to a Council," replied the seemingly leader of the group.  
  
"And Legolas! It would be nice to see Legolas again...I have heard the least about him since we all parted ways," said a little brown haired one, which seemed to follow the leader most closely.  
  
"Well, we won't have to wait to see who is there. There is the Council ground!!" The leader said, pointing beyond some bushes.   
  
The cloaked girl watched the hobbits walk onto a small, unnoticeable path through the bushes. Creeping up to the bushes, she peered through the branches, getting enough of a glimpse beyond them to know the Council was about to start any minute. Looking up, she noticed the perfect hiding spot...a large oak tree, which branches hung right over the small clearing and the leaves gave enough protection for her not to be seen. She climbed the tree swiftly, ending up on a branch half way up the tree that hung wonderfully over the Council's clearing. With her black cloak, she blended in with the dark shadows the leaves casted over her.  
  
And so, the great Lords of Middle Earth came together once again to decide their Fate, but for a different threat this time. All the appropiate leaders were there: the men, the dwarves, the elves, a wizard, and the hobbits (although the hobbits were not leaders and did not really have any say in this Council). The girl amused herself by wondering which, if any, of these people gathered here were from the Fellowship of the Ring. Her ponderings did not get much thought, however, because Elrond started the Council off right away.  
  
"As you all know, a new threat is now in Middle Earth," Elrond began.  
  
"Yes, yes, we know that. What we wish to know is details about this new mystery!" exclaimed a dwarf.  
  
"Of course, Master Basur. That is the problem, however, since little is known about it. As many of you have realized, the threat makes itself known during the night, although there are no black riders or other hunters for this dark force out...yet. I have had many reports stating that the orcs and other such creatures are more mobilized now. Although I do not know what is causing this, it seems as though the Evil One, Sauron, did not die with the Ring, but lost much of his power. If this were true, there would have to be something helping him in a way...."  
  
"Sauron? Not dead? Impossible! He died with the Ring, and that's that. Nothing to worry about from Mordor anymore," said another dwarf.  
  
"Do you dwarves never listen to Lord Elrond? He would not lie to us! And although we do not know for sure, it seems as though it is the only explanation," spoke up a fair looking elf.  
  
"Calm down, both of you. Let us hear what we are to do about it first," said a regal looking man, stopping the argument in its tracks. The man, although looking regal, seemed extremely used to nature and not your normal 'king'.   
  
"That, would be why the Council was called. I am willing to hear any suggestions," Elrond said. His voice held a tint of weariness and even a bit of hopelessness.  
  
"Let us forget about this for a time. If we still feel there is a threat within a week or two, then perhaps it is real. But for now, I believe we are all too skittish still from the Ring being destroyed," a dwarf spoke up...the same one that had almost started arguing with an elf.  
  
There was dead silence in the clearing while the leaders looked at each other, studying each other's reactions to that comment. Elrond broke in before anyone could agree or disagree. "I fear that if we wait we will be too late. We must figure out what to do at this Council, Master Rumli, whether or not you believe there is a threat."  
  
The dwarf grunted. All the others seemed to be at a loss for ideas, yet one tiny voice piped up over the silence. "The Ring was a threat, right? It seems the only logical thing to do would be to destroy the threat."  
  
A man beside the regal-looking man laughed. "Although I respect you for saying your idea, I fear it is not plausible. First, what is it that we must destroy? Are we to send a group of men to destroy an object that we do not even know what it is? And secondly...it involves going into Mordor. That would be the only place Sauron would be. Yes, Mordor was gotten into before, when the Ring was with Frodo, but that was more luck than anything else. Whoever goes will be killed, especially if this threat is even greater than the threat the Ring gave."  
  
The calm, "kingly" man now spoke. "Calm yourself, Boromir. Merry's idea seems to be the only one that has been given so far, and if that is what must be done, it shall be done. To save yourself and sacrifice Middle Earth would be foolish and cowardly."  
  
The dwarf named Basur gruffly entered the argument. "You are all ridiculous! Boromir is right. To enter into this journey you would have to be crazy and have a death wish. Who would actually wish to go on this journey that you propose?"  
  
A fair, young looking elf (this, however, was not the same elf which had almost started the argument with the dwarf) defended the idea. "And do you have any better ideas, Master Basur? I would travel on this journey to save Middle Earth, no matter if my life might be jeopardized."  
  
"And I, also, would travel on this journey if allowed," spoke up another dwarf, which had been watching all of the arguments with amusement.  
  
Elrond looked surprised. "Both of you will risk yourselves for a journey which you do not even know the details about?"  
  
The elf gave a slight bow with his head. "This risk is worth the gain."  
  
The regal-looking man smiled. "I shall come along, too. It seems as though the fate of this journey is looking fairer and fairer by the moment."  
  
Boromir sighed. "Why am I always sucked into these things? Although Gondor is already represented, I shall come, too."  
  
The old wizard smiled and chuckled gleefully. "Strange things happen at strange times. Although it seems as though this group already knows how to get to their destination, I shall come along as well, to help as a guide and give any services my staff can bring."  
  
At this time, the dark, curly-haired hobbit spoke up. "I have been to Mordor and back, and I doubt there is much left there for me to fear. I shall come along, too, if permitted."  
  
Elrond smiled slightly. "If that is your wish, Frodo, you will find no one standing in your way. But realize you do not have to go on this journey...you have already risked much for Middle Earth."  
  
Frodo nodded. "I understand...yet, I still wish to come."  
  
Sam suddenly spoke up. "If Mr. Frodo goes, so do I!"  
  
Merry and Pippin looked at each other and shrugged. "We'll go too, since we were the reason why the Fellowship got as far as they did last time!" Merry piped in.  
  
Boromir groaned, and then laughed. "The little devils are coming along with us!! I fear we won't get any sleep while traveling..."  
  
Elrond smiled. "Well, well, the most unexpected turn...yet it should of been the most expected thing to happen. The Fellowship reunited again....Legolas, Gimli, Aragorn, Boromir, Gandalf, Frodo, Sam, Peregrin, and Meriadoc....very well then. If you wish to go on this journey, it will be the will of the Council!"  
  
Exactly at that moment, the girl jumped off of the tree's branch and landed gracefully, crouching on the floor in front of Elrond. Everyone was taken aback for a moment, even Elrond. The girl stood, and it was quickly noted that she was elven, although she certainly didn't dress like it. The only traditional clothing she wore were her shoes...traditional elven...supple cloth which did not hinder an elf's ability to walk lightly and quickly. She wore cow-hide pants (true leather) dyed black, with a black long sleeved shirt, seemingly made out of elven silk, yet instead of being the "shiny" silk, it was more a dull silk which didn't glimmer at all. The sleeves were bell-like...growing slightly more wide when reaching her nimble hands, yet only slightly, and not enough to hinder the use of a sword. She kept a long, curved sword on her right hip, and three daggers on her right thigh. Her cloak moved around her with every breath of the wind and was clasped at the neck by a small, star-shaped silver brooch. Her hood was around her neck, allowing her face to be seen. She had deep, brown eyes, yet were constantly looking around and seemed suspicious of everything. She had a small mouth and nose and a fair complexion. Dark brown hair fell around her shoulders, yet it was extremely short for her being an elven maiden. Instead of the traditional, long-haired look that many elven maidens had, the girl's hair grew only one inch past her shoulders.   
  
Although this new girl was quite a beauty, she seemed even more mysterious than beautiful. The way she acted showed she had been in many a fight, and she was always on alert for anything suspicious. She seemed slightly "dark", also, yet nobody could quite figure out what made her feel that way. Her eyes, though, were the most haunting part of her. They spoke of something of her past, yet the girl seemed to have brushed it to the back of her mind, not letting it come out into the open.  
  
A small smile formed on her face, although it was not fill of joy or happiness that many smiles possess. "Good 'noon, Elrond. Am I too late for signing up for the journey?" Her last remark was sarcastic, yet it held some truth in it, too.  
  
Elrond stood up and looked at the girl sternly. "How long have you been here, and why did you come to the Council?"  
  
The girl seemed quite pleased at herself that she upset Elrond. "Quite simple, actually....I can't believe you would expect me, me of all people, to not be able to come into Rivendell without being noticed. But to answer your question, I've been here since last night." Her answers can out in a soft, fair voice. She was laid-back at the moment, however it was obvious that was not how she normally was. She was toying with Elrond in a strange way.  
  
Before Elrond could question her further, Rumli spoke up. "I've seen you before, haven't I? In a tavern, perhaps?"   
  
She laughed, yet it was dripping of dryness and sarcasm. "I've seen many people in my travels, and I would not be suprised if you have seen me before."  
  
"Rogue. They call you Rogue. Yes, now I remember!"  
  
She bowed her head slightly. "That is my name. And I am here," she turned sharply towards Elrond again, "to offer my services to the journey. I know of this threat that no one knows about, and I could give essential information to whomever needs it." Her laid-back attitude seemed to have been forgotten, and she was now hard and sarcastic, which seemed to be how she was normally. "To be more specific, I wish to join the Fellowship on this journey."  
  
Boromir was about to voice his objection when he was quieted by Elrond. "And why do you know about this threat? And why are you now just coming to Rivendell?"  
  
"I travel, dear Elrond, I travel. I have seen many a thing that only two other people in all of Middle Earth may truely say they've seen. And you doubt that I don't know anything about this threat, or that I have found out about it in some foul way? Nay, that would not be the case. I will tell you now, what you seek to destroy is not an object, but a creature. And the creature is Saroshder."  
  
Elrond nodded, as though Rogue had just confirmed a suspicion. "I do not see how you can help the Fellowship, though."  
  
"I know more of this creature than many people combined could tell you about it. Granted, I do not know everything, but there's many things I do know. I am also skilled on fighting with swords, if that makes any difference."  
  
Elrond seemed thoughtful. "It is not my decision any more, so I fear you must plead your case to the Fellowship themselves."  
  
Rogue laughed. "Plead? I shall not plead. Take me if you will, and if you don't, well, go into Mordor and get killed for all I care. I can live no matter what happens."  
  
Although no one in the Fellowship seemed absolutely joyful about allowing Rogue into the group, if she truely knew things about this new threat, they would need her. So, ignoring Boromir's objections, Aragorn spoke. "Welcome, Rogue, into our group...get the rest and food you need tonight and we shall leave sometime tommorrow, depending on the weather and any news that comes to us."  
  
Rogue nodded her head slightly. "A wise choice...I will be ready to leave whenever you are." She turned and started to leave through the bushes, knowing Elrond would give her a room to sleep in tonight.


	6. Tales of Dismay

A/N: So....how many people don't realize that I don't own tLoR yet? Well, for the few that don't quite understand....I don't own anything to do with tLoR...  
  
::grin:: I'm so very happy!!! Thank you so much to Shanley, plasticChevy, Cath Sith, and KazraGirl for reviewing my story! You've just made my day...not to mention make me want to right more of the story. :)  
  
  
  
  
**Chapter 6: Tales of Dismay**   
  
  
  
_Ninsèa lisuàn,  
The beckoning calls upon me  
Asuäe isaüne  
Sending me deeper into my despair_  
  
  
  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Rogue stood in the room which once held the famous shards of Narsil. She did not wear her normal outfit, but rather a loose fitting violet nightgown. It was a rare occasion to find Rogue in a dress, and even more rare to find her in a color rather than black. She had taken her sword off, and two of her daggers, yet kept one concealed under her dress. The room was poorly lit, with only three candles lit on either side of the room. Rogue stood with her back towards the statue which once held the shards of Narsil. She faced a wall on which a mural was painted...a mural which depicted the first War against Sauron and Isildur's 'defeat' of Sauron. The candles' lights flickered on the wall, casting eerie shadows on parts of the picture.  
  
Although Rogue seemed to be lost in her thoughts, she heard Elrond enter the room without having to turn around.  
  
"What brings you here, Elrond? Asking me to leave already, are you?"  
  
Elrond, not looking pleased on having to talk with Rogue, walked towards her, stopping a few feet behind her. "No, Anédia, that is not why I came here. And I did not ask you to leave last time, either. You left on your own free will."  
  
"Yet I was not welcome here, either. For me to stay would to be staying in a place where I was not wanted," Rogue replied, her voice giving away how she destested what Elrond had just said.   
  
"It does not matter right now, Anédia. Right now I wish to know what you know about this threat....Saroshder." Elrond replied, brushing away Rogue's loathe.  
  
Rogue turned around and smirked slightly. "And, pray tell, why should I say everything I know about Saroshder to you?"  
  
Elrond seemed to grow annoyed. "Because I wish to know what the Fellowship is going against...if this is an impossible journey, well...."  
  
Rogue looked at Elrond for a minute or two, studying him. Finally, she spoke. "I know many things about Saroshder, Elrond. Many of the things I know I can not pass along, for there is no way to explain them. But I can tell you this: Saroshder is a Shadow Creature, one that lives in the shadow's of Mordor. The day causes no damage to it, and I do not know why it does not hunt during the day as well as the night. Perhaps it is because Mordor does not wish to be known by all of Middle Earth quite yet..."  
  
"A Shadow Creature....I thought they had been gone from Middle Earth for many centuries..." Elrond said, his voice sounding distant.  
  
Rogue watched him for a second, then continued. "I have never seen Saroshder with my own eyes, but I have never heard of anyone that has and lived to tell about it. The creature is intelligent, and is capable of creating armies and following orders, which is what I believe it is doing. Sauron must be using Saroshder to follow through on his plans."  
  
"And death...do you have any idea of how to destroy it?"  
  
A slight look of dismay came over Rogue's face, but then disappeared again. "Not I, nor anybody I have ever heard about knows how to destroy Saroshder."  
  
This news seemed to dishearten Elrond. "The Ring, it seems, was an easier problem to worry about."  
  
"To believe this would be an easy journey would be foolish for anybody to believe. I will lend my knowledge of the Shadow Creature and Mordor as much as possible, but even with the Fellowship on this journey, I can not say I see a bright ending."  
  
"Good night, Anédia, good night. That is what I wished to know from you...I will not question your ways of getting into Rivendell or even why you decided to come. That is for you to know. For now, sleep and eat well, for the journey will not provide you that." With that, Elrond walked out of the room and went to his bed chamber.   
  
Rogue was left standing in the room by herself, where she had first started. She rarely listened to Elrond's advice, however, sleep sounded good to her at such a late hour of the night. Before leaving the room, she bent over each one of the candles and blew them out.  
  
~*~  
  
Aragorn sat at the dining room table, with Pippin and Merry sitting across from him. Both Pippin and Merry were sipping on some apple cider...both had wanted some beer or wine, but Aragorn and Legolas convinced them not to drink the night before their journey. Legolas also sat on the opposite side of Aragorn, yet he sat near the end of the table, leaving many seats between him and Merry. Boromir leaned against the wall, right where the wall angled inwards and became a window. Gandalf was also standing near the window, looking outside. Frodo and Sam sat near Aragorn, watching the rest of the Fellowship. Gimli sat alone, pulling out a chair from the table and moving it a little further away from the table. Everyone of them seemed to be thinking of the journey which would start tomorrow, and the new member which had joined them today.  
  
Boromir shook his head. "We should not have let the girl come with us. Only bad things can come of people like that....she didn't seem quite...right."  
  
Strider nodded. "I agree...her presence makes me uneasy, and I do not feel as though she will tell us the complete truth of whatever we ask her."  
  
"Then why even allow her on the journey, Aragorn? You are King of Gondor...you should have more sense than that!" Boromir exclaimed.  
  
Aragorn, still calm and thinking about the decision of allowing Rogue on the journey, quickly replied to Boromir. "We have already gone over this, Boromir! She might have information that we need, information that will actually help us to destroy this threat!"  
  
"Aragorn is right, Boromir. I can feel that she is hiding something, but of what, I do not know. And for an elf to act the way she does....it is unthinkable. I have never seen such an unruly elf in my entire life. Yet, she might be the saving grace of our journey..." Legolas agreed with Aragorn.  
  
"Or the death of us," Boromir mumbled.  
  
Just as Aragorn was about to reply to Boromir, Legolas hushed him. "Footsteps at the door. She comes..." Legolas said quietly, intently watching the door of the dining room.  
  
The door swung open and Rogue entered the dining room, still in her violet nightgown. She was seemingly unarmed, and from a distance, she looked like a normal elven maiden. Standing in the doorway, she looked at the group in a sarcastic, amused sort of way. "And here I was thinking that all of you would be asleep by now."  
  
Aragorn nodded to her. "That would be, except that none of us could sleep."  
  
Walking over to the table, Rogue picked up a pitcher of water which had been sitting on the table. Pouring some water into a glass, she answered. "Worried about me coming along, no doubt."  
  
"Well at least she realizes when she's not wanted," Boromir mumbled to himself, forgetting that she was elven.  
  
Rogue chuckled at Boromir's ignorance. "I do not worry about not being wanted. After awhile, you get used to that."  
  
Frodo, trying to stop any confrontation Boromir might start with Rogue, quickly asked a question. "Your name's Rogue, isn't it? That's not your true name, is it?"  
  
Rogue smiled, almost looking pleasant for a second. But only for a second. "Rogue is what people call me, yes. That is not my birth name, but I tend to prefer it than people using my true name."  
  
"If you don't mind, we wouldn't mind knowing your...erm...birth name...." Pippin cut in, trying to help Frodo out.  
  
"Questioning little things, aren't you? Well then, since you asked, and haven't been too rude to me," she shot a look at Boromir, "my birth name is Anédia." Rogue seemed to grow soft for seconds at a time when talking to the hobbits, yet tended to hide it away quickly.  
  
Legolas smiled, trying not to chuckle.   
  
Rogue noticed him. "Tell me, what is so funny? Where are you finding humor in what I just said?"  
  
"No where, Rogue...Anédia. I was just thinking about the meaning of your name...'silver star'."  
  
Rogue looked at him suspiciously, but decided to drop the subject. Being an elf, he would probably cause the most problems for her on the journey. Besides Boromir...but that man did not think things through enough to be of any trouble. "Rogue. I go by Rogue."  
  
Merry, realizing the obvious, spoke up. "You don't know our names, do you? Well, I'm Merry...that's Pippin...and that's Frodo, he was a Ring Bearer last journey, and that's Sam....and..." Merry went on and introduced the Fellowship to Rogue. Aragorn gave a nod when his name was mentioned, and so did Boromir, yet Boromir's nod was more curt and quick. Gandalf turned around from the window for a second to say a hello to Rogue, and the rest murmered their hello's when their names were mentioned.  
  
Boromir suddenly spoke up again, much to the dismay of the rest of the group. "Tell us, if you know we do not trust you and do not especially want you to come along on the trip, why are you coming anyways?"  
  
"What makes you think I WISH to go on this journey?" Rogue answered, almost indignantly.  
  
"Then do not go! We will be able to live through this journey even without your help!"  
  
Gandalf turned towards the bickering two, alarmed. Before he could try to calm Boromir and Rogue down, Rogue was already answering Boromir. Her voice was cold and defiant, and she spoke as though she had already seen the future. "You do not even know anything about Saroshder, and yet you still believe you can defeat it? Let me tell you this...I will not go if that is the will of the Fellowship, but you do not realize the fate you would be choosing. You will not be able to defeat Saroshder, and then, if you are still alive, will be helpless to stop the destruction it causes because you have failed. The first to fall will be Rivendell," Rogue told the Fellowship, looking at Legolas when she talked of the fall of the Elves, "along with Lothlórien, Mirkwood and all other elven homes. Next to fall," she continued, looking at Aragorn this time, "will be Gondor. The reign of men will come crashing down and men will have no more strength than the ants that live in the ground. Then, the mines of dwarves will be attacked, and the dwarves' might and legacy will be killed before a blink of an eye," Rogue said, now looking at Gimli. "The last to fall will be the Shire. Hobbits shall not be left free, and their peaceful world will be crushed," she ended, looking at Merry, Pippin, Frodo, and Sam one by one. "All that will be left is Mordor...."  
  
The Fellowship looked at her, wondering if what she proclaimed of could ever happen. It certainly seemed like it could not, but in their hearts, they knew she spoke the truth. Rogue closed her eyes and tried to regain her composure before speaking again. Opening her eyes, her voice grew softer, yet her eyes still were cold and icy like they had been. "Now, tell me if that is the fate you wish upon Middle Earth. If so, I will leave all of you and go my own way tomorrow when you leave."  
  
Boromir seemed visiably shaken, and did not respond. Gandalf spoke up finally, though. "I believe I can speak for all of us when I say we wish you to come along with us. You obviously know much more about this threat than any of us do..."  
  
Rogue looked around the room, but no one made eye contact or even spoke. Nodding to Gandalf, she replied. "Then it is settled. I shall go with you during the journey. I will leave at any time during the journey if you wish me to be gone before the end." With that, she took her glass and walked out of the dining room, went upstairs and quickly went into her room and closed the door behind her. Putting her glass on a table by her bed, she tried to sleep. But all that she could think of what had just happened. Her past. Oh, it was those blasted memories of what she had done when she was younger that made her the way she was...but she had not told them lies about what would happen if they failed. Her heart whispered a warning to her, a warning which told her not to go on this journey. It seemed to hold only grief and misery for her...something the others would never know. Turning on her side, she closed her eyes tightly and tried to block the memories which started to haunt her mind...  
  
((A/N: Sorry if that was a bad chapter...))  



	7. Boromir's Story

A/N: Alright...let's get this over with...I DON'T own anything to do with the tLoR...

Woohoo!! I got 2 more reviews! I love you guys! ::sniff:: Thanks Shanley and Cath Sith...

Ooh, ooh, I get to respond, too!! Hehe!! Alright...this is in response to Cath Sith's review: Oki, oki, I'm sorry....I WON'T make Boromir likeable. I personally don't like him likeable, but I thought I was the only one in the world that thought that way. Knowing that I'm NOT the only one, well, it lets me make Boromir the way I want....

::whistles innocently:: Whatever gave you the idea that I wasn't writing a story concentrating on Boromir? Alright, fine, you got me there....this story doesn't focus on him...but he will have a larger part in my fanfic than some people's...plus, what would I do without him? His personality is supposed to be a 'conflict' in the story...and yep, I am a young lady (not that young, though)....I'll see what I can do about an encounter with his brother.... :)

Alright, well, if anyone has ideas/comments/suggestions, feel free to tell 'em to me! :) Now...on with the story....

Sorry I didn't write anything lately...my schedule was extremely busy...

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Chapter 7: Boromir's Story

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Forever will follow

The days of now

And memories will engulf

The dark corners of your soul

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Rogue stood in a dark room, seeming like a cave, or something of the like. She inhaled, breathing in smoke and sparks from the fires which burned on beds of coals along the sides of the room. In actuality the room was not an actual room, but a hallway. The fires could be seen on either side of the hall as far as the eye could see.

Rogue looked around hesitantly. She seemed to remember this place, yet did not like the idea of being there again. If she were scared, she didn't show it. Drawing a dagger, she started to slowly move foward, looking from side to side as if something were about to jump out at her.

"Anédia."

Rogue quickly turned around, taking a quick overview of the area. She searched for where the voice had come from, that voice....dark and evil, belonging to a male. The way the voice warped Rogue's elvish name into something sounding dark and deathly made Rogue realize the voice's owner did not speak elvish, or Common Speech, normally. Rogue stopped looking for the voice, knowing she would never see it with her own eyes. Turning back to facing the way she had been going, the hallway which she had been traveling in turned into a never-ending stone bridge, with pits of fire on either side. The bridge was not narrow, yet it was not exactly wide, either. 

"Leave me be," Rogue's defiant voice sounded, with no trace of fear.

A dark chuckle resounded from the depths of the fire. "Leave you be? Were you not the same girl who came to me years ago?"

Rogue's eyes narrowed. "Yes, I am the same girl, but I also left."

"Ah, but you can never leave."

"I did and I have."

"I thought you to be so much more intelligent than this. Once you come here, you can't leave. You may run, but you will still be here in your soul..."

"If that's what you wish to believe. I have left, and I won't ever come back." Rogue's eyes glistened with anger.

"Won't ever come back? And what do your...'friends' on this journey of yours think of what you have done?" The voice asked, baiting Rogue with the question.

"Friends? They are not friends. I do not tell others of my past, and so they do not know. They never will, either." Although Rogue's voice stayed clear, her eyes seemed to cloud over with slight fear. If they knew...if something happened and they were told....would they not kill her?

"Tell me, Anédia. If they find out, will they allow you to stay with them?"

For this, Rogue had no answer.

The voice laughed darkly. "If you are shunned from them, where will you turn?"

"Not here," Rogue answered, although she knew she might not be able to resist coming back to the fire if she were told to leave the group.

"You say that, yet your soul says otherwise."

Rogue was about to speak when she lost feeling in her arms. Then, slowly, she couldn't feel her torso, and then the feelings in her legs were gone. Rogue's mind worked quickly to figure out a way to end this strange torture, but before she could even conjure up an idea she found herself walking towards the edge of the bridge. Cursing silently, Rogue tried to will her legs to move in the direction which she wanted. They seemed not to listen to her and stopped right at the edge. Rogue looked down at the flames of the fires which seemed to be waiting for her. Her heart beat fast and her mind was frozen with fear. Before a single breath could be drawn, Rogue jumped, against her will, into the pit. At the exact moment, the force which had been in her body left, leaving her to fall into the flames by herself.

Rogue sat straight up in bed. Right when she had reached the flames in her dream she had awoken back in Rivendell. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The sun sat high in the midday sky, showing the time to be around noon. Breakfast had been a merry time for all, even the Fellowship. All seemed to be in good spirits, mostly because they hadn't seen each other in such a long time. Strangely, Rogue hadn't been seen at breakfast. After breakfast, Elrond had gone up to her room to tell her when the Fellowship would be leaving, but she wasn't there. In fact, nobody had seen Rogue since the night before, when she had talked with the Fellowship.

Now, the Fellowship stood at the edge of Rivendell, along with Bill the Pony, completely ready to go. They had been waiting awhile for Rogue, yet she had not shown up. 

Gandalf sighed, speaking to Elrond. "It seems as though we have already lost the new member of our group."

"I am not surprised. To wait for her any longer would be a waste of time...the Fellowship must be on their way! If Rogue is to be found in Rivendell, I will send her along to you. I would not count on that, though." Elrond replied.

Sam put one more small bag on Bill's back and straightened out his clothing. Frodo got up slowly from the ground, trying to wipe the haze of sleepiness out of his eyes (you see, the little hobbit had been sleeping by a tree). Legolas jumped nimbly out of the tree he had been sitting in. Merry and Pippin, both sprawled out on the grass, got up hastily, not wanting to be the last ones ready. Boromir, Strider, and Gandalf were already ready for the journey they were about to embark on.

Gandalf took his lead in the front of the group, with Aragorn and Boromir at the rear of the group. Legolas stood up front with Gandalf, and the hobbits, accompanied by Gimli, stood on the middle of the Fellowship.

"Farewell, may the stars be your guides," Elrond told the group. 

Elrond took a few steps back, and the group turned onwards towards their journey. They had taken no more than five steps when they heard horse hooves coming towards them. On the Fellowship's right side came a black horse, ridden by the black-cloaked Rogue. She was back in her 'normal' clothes...the ones that she wore when she first met the Fellowship. She kept her black hood of her cloak down, and her medium-length hair moved carelessly with the wind. Rogue still didn't seem to be very sociable, and any kindness which she had shown the night before to the hobbits was lost. Perhaps it was because of her arguement with Boromir, or maybe the night before had just been a flaw, something that rarely happened.

As she grew closer to the group, she hopped down from her horse and lead her horse the rest of the way. Once she got close enough, she moved half of the packs which were on Bill's back to her own horse's back. "There. It'll be easier for Bill if he has less packs he has to move. Now, are we ready to go?" She looked pointedly at Gandalf, since he led the group. The way she acted was as if she weren't the one which had been late, although she knew very well they had been waiting for her.

Gandalf gave a little nod. "Off we go, then. It's good to see you are going to be coming along with us, Rogue."

Rogue gave no response to Gandalf, and fell into the line around the middle once they started to move. Rogue stood only one person, or dwarf, way from Legolas...and with the close proximity the whole group noticed the difference between the two elves. The air around Rogue seemed much darker, and she seemed much less friendly. Rogue also stood almost five inches shorter than Legolas. It was, in a way, amusing to see how Rogue was not your typical elf. The group moved in silence, with the hobbits mystified about Rogue and her anti-sociabilty; Boromir, Legolas, Aragorn, and Gimli walked in silence, seemingly not worried about Rogue, and were alert for any strange movements in the woods; Gandalf in front, focused on how the group would get to Mordor; and Rogue, walking silently alongside her horse, and not paying any attention to the group in front and behind her. The silence was becoming unbearable, and finally Sam had to say something.

"How did you know Bill's name, Rogue?"

"I know many things, Master Gamgee. Including many a thing which I shouldn't know..."

And then there was silence again. Sam watched Rogue's horse and noticed that that a bow hung at the horse's side, with a quiver full of arrows on the horse's back. This sparked another question in Sam's mind, and he wasted no time in asking it. "Do you know how to use a bow?" 

Rogue looked over to her right at her horse, to see her bow hanging at her horse's side. Before she could answer, though, Boromir spoke up from the back. "She probably just has it for looks...she probably can't shoot it even if it could save her life."

Rogue did not reply and merely kept walking on. Boromir laughed, taking advantage of Rogue not replying to him. "To think...an elf that can't even shoot a bow."

Boromir's last remark angered Rogue. Maybe she couldn't shoot a bow, but that was not his business. It took great restraint for her to keep walking ahead and not turn around and lash out at Boromir. Instead, she tried to stay cool, but failed terribly at it. "And why would you care, dead man?" Her voice was filled with anger and hatred for being the reason of a joke.

"Dead man? Surely you can tell I am not dead," replied Boromir.

"It's a shame you aren't," Rogue muttered underneath her breath. "Was it not you who was killed at Amon Hen?"

Boromir looked at Rogue suspiciously and hesitantly answered her from the back of the line. "It was I."

Rogue smirked to herself. "I've been meaning to ask you this...how is it that you died there yet are still very much full of life now?"

"I was not fully dead...it was a mistake."

This made Rogue laugh coldly. "A mistake? Forgive me for saying this, but from what I heard, Aragorn is farely good at healing, is he not? To say it was a mistake would to say that Aragorn is not quite as good as many say he is and can not tell the difference between a dead man and a live man."

Aragorn listened intently to Boromir's and Rogue's conversation, but stayed out of it. However, Rogue was starting to annoy Boromir. "It wasn't like that. Aragorn was not at fault."

"Oh really? Then tell me the story, for I am confused on how this can not be partly Aragorn's fault for sending you over the waterfall."

Boromir finally gave in and started to tell Rogue of how he did not truly die at Amon Hen. "I figure you realize the arrows that I was shot with were from a Uruk-Hai, correct?"

Rogue nodded. "And the creature was told to kill everybody....except for the hobbits, or any other creature which it might suspect to be carrying the ring."

Boromir continued on, but was slightly confused as to how Rogue knew the commands given to the Uruk-Hai. "But the arrows given to it were poisoned somehow. The poison, like many others, killed. But not all the way...it was somehow created to stop so that there was a small amount of life left, but not enough to notice. There is a remedy for it, and I figure that whoever poisoned the arrows was expecting to be able to come in after the Uruk-Hai and use the remedy and..."

"And bring life back into you only so they could have the chance to perhaps torture you a bit and get the information they needed." Rogue nodded. "I was starting to suspect something of the sort. But tell me, why did the three arrows not kill you?"

Boromir laughed. "They practically did. Lucky, I suppose..there's still many a time which I'm surprised I'm still alive. You already know that when Aragorn found me, he, along with Legolas and Gimli, gave me an honorable burial by floating me off in a boat...which is where I went down a waterfall. I am told, since I do not remember that part, that the only reason I survived was because I was almost dead and did not fight the water when it took me down the waterfall. According to the elves that told this to me, since I did not fight the current, it took me around the rocks and brought me to shore relatively safely. It was there that a group of five elves which had been searching around Lothlorien found me and took me to Lorien. I do not remember much about my time there, except for the fact that I was treated kindly and allowed to stay there as long as was needed to become fully recovered."

"It took a while for the Fellowship to destroy the Ring...did it take you the whole time to recover?"

"It took most of the time, and by the time I was recovered, although I could of perhaps rejoined the Fellowhip, it was decided by Elrond and Galadriel that it was better if I did not go. So I was told to stay in Rivendell until the Ring was destroyed. It was then that I rejoined the Fellowship until we all parted ways."

Several minutes went by until Rogue replied. "Well, you were lucky on your last journey. Perhaps you can manage not getting killed on this one?"

Boromir shook his head and chuckled to himself. The mood seemed to have lightned slightly once Boromir and Rogue started talking, without trying to kill each other, and now there were several conversations going at once. Rogue participated in none, thinking instead of what might happen on the roads in front of them. 

The sun shone brightly and the group still had a good five or six hours until they had to make camp. They walked onwards, now out of Rivendell and in the woods around it.


	8. Fights and Talks

A/N: Me. Tolkien. Two totally different people. One of us owns The Lord of the Rings. The other one owns 100 CDs. Who owns what?

Thank you so much plasticChevy for reviewing my story!! :) I'm glad you like the story so far, and think I have enough parts for Boromir in the story. :) Hopefully I'll be able to keep it up for the rest of the chapters (and there'll be a lot of 'em). I'm especially glad you like the explanation of why Boromir is still alive...or at least, you didn't think it was too outlandish and extremely corny and stupid. :) Anyhoo...I should probably start writing the story...

This chapter has fighting, and sorry if I don't do good at this. I've never really written a fight scene before. Oh, and is anyone starting to wonder why I rated my story PG-13? Well, for the people that were...there will probably mild to moderate (nothing extremely bad) curse words in later chapters and perhaps sexual suggestions (but again, there won't be anything too bad. Maybe a joke or two, but I'm hopefully not going to make this a love story. :) hehe )

Ooh, and for any ditzes that couldn't figure out whether or not I owned tLoR, Tolkien does. Don't bug me. But **_please _**review my story!! I read all of 'em! I actually read them more than once, if you wanted to know that.... ::grin::

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Chapter 8: Fights and Talks

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Winter masquerades as Summer

Through the early morning dew

In the night it drops its guise

To the unexpecting witnesses

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"My legs are starting to hurt me."

"It's not too much longer until we set up camp for the night, Pippin."

"Can we at least have a fire tonight?"

"Well, we mi..."

Rogue suddenly interrupted Strider's and Pippin's conversation. "_No_."

Both seemed a bit bewildered at Rogue's adamant response. They hadn't even been aware that she had been listening to their conversation.

"You heard me, right? No fires. I don't care how much you all believe it's safe out here, it's not. It seems as though I'm the only one that realizes it, currently." Rogue turned her head over her shoulder and looked at Aragorn. "We must have watches tonight, too. I don't care who watches, but we must have a watch."

"I had expected to have watches tonight, Rogue. That was not an option."

"Good."

And with that, Rogue went back to herself, not talking to anyone. Boromir raised his eyebrow and looked at Aragorn. "I do believe she's crazy. I don't care whether or not Gandalf says she's not, she is," Boromir whispered to the king of Gondor.

Although Aragorn was the one that tried the hardest to keep peace with Rogue, he had to grin at what Boromir had said. They had been walking for five hours, and not once did the girl try to make conversation with somebody. He quickly corrected his response, though, and replied to Boromir. "She's not crazy, my friend. Just a bit different, but we should be used to that by now." 

Without turning around or breaking her stride, Rogue again broke in with a response. "Do I have to remind everybody every once in awhile that I _am _an elf? If you're going to say something about me, at least have the courage to say it to my face."

Boromir rolled his eyes, and then bowed slightly. "I'm sorry, m'lady. I forget things so easily. Do you need to be carried the rest of the journey, or do you just want to take a break every half an hour so you can make sure your feet aren't getting dirty?"

Rogue whirled around, almost bumping into Merry at the same time. Glaring at Boromir, she spat angrily, "Why must you always taunt me like you were a five year old child? It's no wonder why elves worry about leaving Middle Earth in the Men's hands. From what I have seen, they are all nothing but irresponsible, undependable...."

A twig snapped suddenly about twenty feet in front of the Company. Rouge twirled around to face the way the sound had come, and pulled her sword out, standing ready to fight. Aragorn and Boromir, along with Gandalf at the front, did the same, and Legolas had his bow ready. Gimli and the hobbits stood ready with their axe and daggers, respectively. 

They waited several moments, and no more sounds came. Rogue eyes narrowed. "This isn't the time for tricks to be played--"

And then, Legolas was heard shouting, "Orcs!"

An arrow landed at Gandalf's feet, just short of him. As if on cue, a hail of arrows followed the lone one. The orcs could be seen charging up to the Company, through the underbrush and trees, which blocked their way. Legolas was able to shoot down five or so before the orcs came crashing down on the Company.

Rogue nimbly jumped to her side to avoid a dagger that was aimed at her throat. Gandalf was quite useful with a sword, cutting down two orcs right after each other. Rogue kept a keen eye on all of the members of the Company while she fended off daggers and killed orcs herself. Although they had all had experiences like this before, the attacks they might face while journeying to Mordor this time might be, to put it lightly, slightly harder.

Aragorn was slightly further into the trees fighting with the orcs. The sound of metal against metal could be heard, and then the heavy thump of a dead orc body hitting the ground. Boromir, still hanging at the back of the group, was almost surrounded by five orcs. He was doing well...in fact, just at that moment, he was able to kill an orc and was moving on to another one quite quickly. But an orc from behind him, of which he was well aware of, was able to pull a dagger out, and before Boromir could react to the glint of metal in the sunlight, it sliced his arm while he was trying to move away. Although it was not a major gash, being around only four inches long on his upper arm, blood still welled up from it and drenched the sleeve of the shirt he had been wearing. Aragorn had noticed, and, somehow, made it over towards Boromir and killed the orc. Shaking his head for half a second to get rid of the shock, Boromir went back to fighting as if nothing had happened.

Rogue smiled inwardly to herself. The man, although childish sometimes, was indeed a good fighter and was reliable. 

Frodo and his hobbit friends were doing a fabulous job themselves, with all of them having daggers. They had learned how to use them on their last journey and now were able to join the Fellowship in the horrific pastime of killing orcs. They had moved outwards slightly from their circle, backs facing in, that they normally made, and had plenty of room to rebuff any attacks and slaughter the orcs that moved towards them.

An orc lunged at the stout little dwarf, getting an axe in its side before it knew what had happened. 

Legolas deftly evaded the orcs and killed any that came near him.

The Company was doing well, and as quickly as the orcs had been upon them, they were gone. The floor of the forest was covered with 20 or 30 orc bodies, each killed by one of the various weapons the defenders had wielded. 

Rogue was breathing heavily from the exertion, and it was obvious that the rest of the group was tired from the fight. Gandalf took four deep breaths trying to regain his composure, and then spoke. "We'll walk a bit more tonight...to get away from the sight of dead orcs. No fire tonight...the dangers are a bit more present around here then I had anticipated."

With that, Gandalf started off, walking forward into the forest. The rest of the group followed wordlessly, trying to regain their breath. All were weary...the only one seeming to not be affected was Legolas.

It surprised everybody when Rogue was the first to talk. "You'll have to have someone look at your arm, Boromir."

"I hope you're not wanting me to let _you _look at it," Boromir replied.

"I never said I'd want to. Aragorn is quite capable of caring for it."

Finally, Aragorn broke in. "Although your incessant arguing is interesting, I'd appreciate it if you would stop bringing me into it."

Rogue looked at him. " 'Bringing you in'?"

"This the second or third time that I've heard my name mentioned."

Feeling as though she must keep peace with one member of the group, although she resented it, she surrendered. She spoke no more to anyone in the Fellowship until they got to their camping ground for the night.

Gandalf suddenly stopped for pretty much no reason. "Here will do just fine for tonight."

"Hoorah! A time to rest our feet for a while!" Merry rejoiced.

Sam was already starting to unpack the food they had brought and Legolas started to scout out around the area for any danger. It took only moments for Legolas to return and make a report. "This is a fine spot. There is nothing that may even think of hurting us...unless you are afraid of berry bushes."

"Berry bushes?!?" Merry and Pippin said together, and then took of running for the berry bushes. They were able to instinctively find them.... somehow.

Legolas chuckled at the two hobbits. He had grown very fond of them during the time of the first Fellowship.

He gracefully sat down next to Frodo, with Sam on the other side of Frodo and Gandalf sitting on the base of a tree which had been struck down by lighting. The tree itself, which had fallen, had long ago decomposed and only remnants of it could still be found.

Boromir sat down opposite of Legolas and Frodo, but around nine feet away. He was especially careful of not moving his right arm. Aragorn walked over to Boromir and sat down near his right arm. Boromir rolled up his sleeve, and the gash could be seen clearly. It had not stopped bleeding fully and was still glistening with the blood.

Aragorn shook his head. "It's not much of a injury and there is little I can actually do. I'll clean it up and tie some cloth over it, but besides that...you have to let time work."

Boromir nodded and shot a glare at Rogue. "I doubted that there was much you could do for it."

Rogue noticed the glare and laughed. "Don't blame me. I couldn't tell how bad it was."

Aragorn had just finished cleaning the gash, and being cleaned, it seemed much less horrific. He tied an extra piece of cloth around it and stood up. "It's the best I can do. Just don't move the arm to much." And then he walked over and sat near the small group of Legolas, Frodo, and Sam. 

Merry and Pippin came crashing back to the camp ground, their mouths stained with berries. They had brought none back, although they had tried, and they had ate all of them instead. 

"Here we go...dinner's ready!" Sam said. 

Nothing else needed to be said; Merry and Pippin were grabbing their measly potions of dinner. Frodo, Legolas, Aragorn, and Gandalf all got their portions, and then Sam took his. Rogue walked over nonchalantly to get the bread and salted meat that was their dinner, and laughed when she saw Boromir slowly walking over to the group. "Can you make it over here, or are you going to pass out from the pain first?"

"Just wait until you get hurt, and then you're going to be hearing from me," Boromir replied, finally making it over to grab his meal. He walked slowly as to not disturb his arm, for it hurt whenever it moved. 

Friendly conversation sparked up again, and the group all but forgot about the earlier happenings of the day. In fact, even Rogue made some conversation.

"Tell me Gandalf, how are you supposing we get to Mordor?"

"We'll go whatever way the road takes us. I am expecting to go up the mountains this time instead of going through the Mines of Moria, but the last journey showed me things like this can rarely be told beforehand," Gandalf replied.

Rogue nodded but gave no response. 

"Legolas, will you take first watch tonight?" Gandalf questioned.

"Yes, Gandalf, and I can take Boromir's shift if needed," replied Legolas.

Boromir shook his head. "That isn't needed. It's only a small gash on my arm, it's not going to kill me."

"Are you sure about that?" Rogue asked.

Boromir glared, and then the hobbits started to yawn. 

"I do believe it's time to go to sleep now," Frodo said.

Gandalf smiled. "Yes, yes, dear Frodo. We have a long journey in front of us."

The hobbits settled down for the night, each taking a light blanket, there were ten in all (one for each member of the Company), which had been brought along. Aragorn also grabbed a blanket and settled down for the night, with his sword at his side. Gimli used his blanket for a pillow, although why he needed a pillow isn't quite sure (since he didn't even take his helmet off). Gandalf preferred to lean against a tree and fall asleep, and the same was true for Boromir since he was afraid he might turn on his right side during the night if he slept normally. Rogue looked over at her horse, and even it seemed to be comfortable and ready to fall asleep. As she took her blanket and made herself comfortable on the ground, she heard the soft snores of the hobbits. Smiling to herself, she turned on her back and looked up at the sky. She had found a place where the trees did not block the moon, so she stared up at if for awhile. She soon felt as though she was the only one awake, and looking around, she found the only other one to be awake was Legolas. She watched him for several seconds and then turned back to her moon, restless. 

"Why do you not sleep?" A soft voice came to Rogue's ears.

Rogue was startled at first, not realizing that someone had noticed she was awake. Looking over at Legolas, she saw him looking at her from where he stood. It was his voice that she had heard on the soft breeze. She looked back to the moon. "Dreams do not bring me good things anymore."

"I have had those times as well, but take comfort in knowing that dreams are only dreams and life is much better."

Rogue chuckled sorrowfully. "You know nothing of the times I go through."

And although during the day, Rogue seemed to be void of any feelings, in her response Legolas sensed a great sorrow and loss, and even helplessness. 

Rogue seemed lost in thought for a second, and then smiled mournfully at the moon. "You're in Hell when nightmares haunt your dreams and fill your mind, and when you wake, you find nothing better."

"Perhaps--"

And suddenly all the feelings that Rogue was showing were closed up again. "Just shut up. Be happy for what you got, and don't try to help me any. I can deal with it on my own." Rogue turned on her right side, away from Legolas and shut her eyes, trying to find a dream where she knew only nightmares could be found.

Legolas shook his head. It seemed as though Rogue was impossible to get through to, and he would watch her the rest of the journey to make sure she was truly on their side. All her emotions seemed to be conflicting with each other, and as hard as it was for Rogue to sort through them, it was impossible for anyone else to try and make sense of them.

As the night wore on and the shifts changed, none of the watchers noticed anything unusual. Night slowly grew into day, and before they knew it, dawn had come again.


	9. Second Thoughts

A/N: Oki dok…this is starting to get a bit old….I don't own the Lord of the Rings or anything of the sort. The only thing I own is Rogue/Anédia! :)

Ooh looky! I got lots and lots of reviews! ::Hugs ZChan:: I love reviews! I really, really do!! I don't think you're insane for writing so many, in fact, I love you even more for it. :) Thanks for saying I write Hobbits well…in reality, they're the hardest for me to write. Hehe. Funny how that works out, eh? ::grin happily:: And you like my 'black spy' thing that I have going on, too! Alright! Woohoo!! Well, that was sort of the appearance I'm going for Rogue….

I'm so happy that Rogue is getting so many good comments…it took me awhile to think her through all the way, but at least she's somewhat believable and all that hard work didn't go to waste… ::grin::

Geez, I wasn't aware that Boromir would get so many comments. Hehe! Good thing I put him in this story…

Well, on with the story…..oh wait, one last thing. Boromir? Rogue? In a relationship? ::actually thinks about his for several minutes:: We'll never know. Actually, currently I'm not sure who, if anybody, will get Rogue at the end…or the middle…or somewhere in between. The only person totally out of the running is Aragorn, just because he already has Arwen and, well, Arwen does have a small part in the story coming up later. I don't have the heart to kick Arwen out of her place. 

Alright, now that that's out of my system, on with the story!! And keep the reviews coming!

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Chapter 9: Second Thoughts

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Lies

Iaÿei Nasänu

Haunt the truths you speak

Ësaen Uaisun

Sending you into the endless abyss

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

After a week of traveling, the Company had finally come to the mountains that stood by Rivendell. As Fall was finally giving away to Winter, the air grew even colder and any warmth that the group came across was welcome. The middle of the mountains on upwards were snow-covered, leaving the bottom half waiting for the white crystals to conceal the ground that was now showing. 

The Company was making good ground, and luck was on their side. After the first orc attack they had not come across anymore, but still, every night, they kept watches, making sure there were no 'surprise' attacks. The journey was going good, and there was much talk within the group. The conversations centered on, of course, how everyone's lives were doing. There were many questions about when, and if, Legolas would ever become King of Mirkwood, and whether or not any lovely maidens had caught his eye. When they came to the second of the two, there was much teasing and prying, mostly from the Hobbits, which Legolas took good-humoredly. As for Aragorn, there were many questions about Arwen and how Gondor was coming along. Rogue murmured something once when Arwen was being mentioned, but nobody was able to pick up what she said. There were not many questions asked to Rogue, for everyone knew she would not answer them. In fact, during these conversations, she rarely talked, and it was hard to tell whether or not she was listening or not. There were a few questions asked by the Hobbits, mostly dealing with her past, but Rogue didn't even do as little as acknowledge them. She kept walking on, as if nothing had been said to her.

And so, while Rogue kept to herself, the rest of the Company talked to each other and all but forgot that Rogue was with them. 

Everyday, as the group got closer to the mountains, Rogue kept getting even more distant. Although everybody noticed it in the Fellowship, nobody dared ask why. It was at night, though, that Rogue acted the strangest. She would not go to sleep, or if she did, she would only be dozing off and she would wake again within a few minutes. She seemed to be aware of something they should be wary about, something that was there in the woods, but couldn't be seen. She spoke nothing of it, though, and there were a few times that she seemed to come back to reality. She talked a few times, mostly to argue with Boromir, and a few times she added to the conversation the Hobbits were having, or unexpectedly added something to Legolas's and Aragorn's conversation.

Now, after a week of traveling, the Company was at the mountains. The same mountains that they had been forced off of and into the Mines of Moria the first time they went the journey. Gandalf looked up at the mountains, deciding the best route the Company should take. "We shall start to climb the mountains a little bit up, and then make camp. We will start to climb in the snow tomorrow." 

The place where Gandalf had picked for their sleeping place was 20 or 30 feet up, but the snow had not started to cover the ground there yet. The way up was slow and tedious, and any pathways that had lead up the mountains were hard to find. Gandalf walked slowly and carefully, making sure he was taking the safest route up the mountains. Thankfully, Gimli never once agonized over the idea of not going through the Mines of Moria, for the memories of what happened last time that the Fellowship went there were still too clear. It took only an hour and a half to reach the place were the Company would rest that night.

Once there, Legolas scouted around, but again found nothing harmful. There was still an hour or two left in sunlight, and everyone took the time to take care of whatever they needed to do. This was, for most of them, nothing, and so they used to time to rest their aching feet. It was not usual for the Company to be stopping this early, but they all understood why Gandalf wanted to stop here for the night. They would be sleeping in the cold snow soon enough; it was nice to be able to hold it off for one more night. Aragorn checked Boromir's arm, to make sure there was no infection, but besides that there was little he could do about he wound. It was not, in fact, that bad anymore. Time had taken over and it was now scabbing over and bled no more. 

Sam sat next to Frodo and checked through the bags that they brought to see how much food they had left. There was still plenty, although they might have to stop somewhere to get more later in their journey. Merry and Pippin were lying down on their backs, talking about various types of foods. Currently, they were fighting over whether chicken potpie was better than roasted pork.

Gandalf was thinking about the rest of their journey, and the best way to get to Mordor. From past experience, he knew that whatever he decided probably wouldn't be the way they ended up going. Giving up on the idea, he went over and sat near Aragorn, watching the King of Gondor. Right then, Aragorn was checking his weapons to make sure they were all intact. 

Rogue had taken off to look around the camp, even though Legolas had already done that. She wasn't looking for harmful things, however, just to be alone, to be able to think without the racket all around her. She knew that the Fellowship wasn't really that loud, and in fact, she'd heard people talk much more than them. But as the week had progressed, and the mountains kept getting closer, inside she kept getting more nervous and worried. She could feel it watching them during the night, but nobody else seemed to notice. She knew that they wouldn't be able to…that was one of the reasons why she came along on this journey. She would be able to tell whether they were being watched. The thing…the Shadow Creature…had been ever watchful ever since they started out their journey, and even before that. But as the mountains grew closer, she felt the presence grow stronger. And now, now they were on the mountains. As the sun was slowly setting, she could feel the eyes piercing into her, into the Company. Oh _why_ did she have to be the only person to be able to feel the presence? 

The feeling was becoming almost unbearable, but she kept her appearance calm. Once she was a fair ways away from the resting grounds, she became more observant of the mountains around her. Gandalf was a smart old wizard, it seemed, for they had stopped on a flat piece of ground that was on the mountain. Trees grew here, the grass was green, and a few birds still sang. If you did not look up and see the tops of the mountains looming above you, it was almost impossible to believe you were on a mountain. Rogue walked through some trees, and found the edge of the flat ground. Finding it a bit more peaceful here, she sat down, leaning against a tree, three feet from the edge. 

One thing she did not understand was _why_ the feeling of the Shadow Creature was growing more prominent in the mountains. The mountains hid nothing of importance, at least not on top. And then she remembered the Mines of Moria. Could it be that Saroshder had moved to get closer to the Company, and was in the Mines of Moria? Rogue could not tell exactly where the presence was coming from, just somewhere near or in the mountains. She shook her head to rid herself of the thought that it was in Moria. The dwarves would have sent notice to someone, or she would have heard from other sources. And even if Moria was where it was right now, the Company would not be going through it, so there should be no worry of that. 

And then, Rogue heard the dark, coarse, male voice from her dream.

__

Anédia.

Rogue stood up hastily and closed her eyes, taking deep breaths, trying to block the voice.

__

Anédia.

"Go away," She replied, with her eyes still closed. Her voice was barely more than a whisper and her weariness could be heard through her voice.

__

You belong to me.

A medium-sized rock, which had leaning over the edge of the mountain, suddenly become loose and tumbled down the mountain side.

Rogue's eyes flung open, just in time to see the edge of the rock disappear. Breathing in deeply, she backed up against the tree that she had been leaning on and then turned and walked quickly away. The voice said nothing more to her, but the memory stayed clear.

She stopped walking after the edge of the mountain could no longer be seen. She tried to regain her composure, but failed to do so miserably. Sinking to the ground, she hid her head in her arms and let her tears flow down her face. _I should not have come. Oh, I should not have. The nightmares were not as bad when I was not with the Fellowship,_ Rogue thought to herself. After she had run out of tears, she took a shaky hand and wiped her tears from her face, yet they left a small glistening of water behind. She got up slowly and brushed off the leaves that stuck to her. Rogue was not quite ready to go back to the Company yet, but decided she needed something to keep her mind off of Saroshder…. and the voice.

She walked quietly to where the Fellowship was resting, and noticing that most of them, Aragorn, Boromir, Gandalf, Legolas, Gimli, and Frodo, were in a conversation, she slipped next to her horse, which was standing opposite of the little group. She had taken off her sword earlier and put it on her horse, and so she now carried only her three daggers. Without thinking, she took the nearest thing to her, which were her bow and the quiver full of arrows. Grabbing them, she walked away from the Company once more, this time in the opposite way than she had first adventured.

~*~

Rogue had disappeared once again almost right after the Company had started to settle down. It was not strange for her to do that, and so they tried not to worry too much about it. There was not much to do, and Boromir's arm was healing nicely, so Aragorn needn't worry about it. 

Gandalf sat near Aragorn and watched the King look at his weapons to make sure nothing was out of place. Boromir walked casually over to Gandalf and Aragorn, and sat on the ground, leaning on a large rock which grew out of the ground. Frodo, seeing that a conversation was about to spark up, moved over so that he sat next to Aragorn, and started it. "Where do you s'pose Rogue went to?"

Aragorn smiled at his little friend and put his weapons back into their spots. "Who knows, Frodo. That still remains a mystery."

Gandalf smiled softy. "Rogue seems to have many a mystery about her."

Legolas, hearing their conversation, sat next to Gandalf and joined in, "As much as we do not understand them, it seems as though she is having trouble herself figuring out these secrets."

"Perhaps we will understand later in the journey," Aragorn said.

"One things for certain--" Boromir started.

"Yes, yes, we know you're not too fond of her, Boromir. You needn't remind us so often," Gandalf cut in.

Boromir looked slightly abashed and then laughed. "I was merely going to say that she was a skilled fighter."

Gimli now walked over and sat on the other side of Gandalf. "Giving the lady a compliment, Boromir? I never thought I'd see the day."

Boromir winked at Gimli. "Don't go and tell her that. I've nearly got her bested in our spoken fights."

Legolas chuckled. "From what I have seen, you are no where close, friend."

Aragorn laughed at Legolas's response. "I must agree with Legolas on that one. But there are other things on my mind about Rogue."

Gandalf looked intently at Aragorn. "Such as what?"

"I have a feeling there are things that she should tell us…perhaps things of her past. Things that might change what happens on this journey."

Legolas nodded. "I have the same feeling. I worry to think that she does not tell us such things, and that these things may be what decide whether we live or die on this journey. But I talked to her once, the first night that we had watches, and I felt…a strange pity for her."

"Pity? Pity? Pity for Rogue? Why would you have such a thing as that?" Gimli responded, almost indignantly.

"Calm yourself, Gimli," Aragorn interceded, and then continued on, talking to Legolas. "What did she say that made you feel such a way?"

"She talked to me only a short time, but I remember most clearly that she said, ' You're in Hell when nightmares haunt your dreams and fill your mind, and when you wake, you find nothing better.' And when I tried to reply, she stopped talking to me again, as if I had said something terrible."

"Most strange indeed…there is more to her than we can even imagine," Gandalf mused.

Aragorn nodded his head slightly, just enough for his companions next to him to see, in the direction of Rogue's horse. Turning his head slightly, Legolas noticed what Aragorn was pointing out. Rogue was over by her horse, taking her bow and arrows and then walked away, oblivious that she had been seen. The group realized that something was wrong, at least in Rogue's world, if she did not realize that she had been seen. Normally she was much more careful of her actions…she did, however, hide an important detail from the group--that she had broke down and cried earlier. 

Frodo had seen Rogue too, and was the first to speak of it. "I wonder why she took her bow…she cannot even use it, can she?"

Boromir shook his head. "From the way she acted, she doesn't even know the first thing on how to use it."

Legolas looked at Gandalf, and then at Aragorn. "I'm going to see what she is doing. I shan't be gone long." With that, Legolas stood up and walked towards the way that Rogue had been traveling. 


	10. Archery Lessons

A/N: I don't own anything to do with tLoR. Alright…now, I got that out of the way.

Thanks Zchan and Ezellohar Shark and Shark,the smart half for your reviews! Have I mentioned how much I like getting reviews? ::grin:: Anyhoo…I had to let Boromir slip with a compliment…::grin:: Hehe. 

I'm starting to get more into the 'action' of the story (geez…I know, I know, I take long enough! Chapter 10 and I'm _just_ now getting to it?) A lot of my chapters are going to end in cliffhangers…not only does this leave the reader wanting more, but gives me a motive to write more (I can't stand leaving things unfinished). Oh look, here's another mystery of life…I'm quite flattered that you say I can convey emotions nicely, but do you know how hard it is for me to write them? Hehe! It seems the harder it is for me to write things, the better they come out.

I do have just one question, though. Does anyone know when Eldarion (Aragorn and Arwen's son) was born? If you do…let me know! Thanks!

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Chapter 10: Archery Lessons

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If your smile hadn't shone

In the evening of my soul

I might still be there

In Ìsúmes, where the shadows lie

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The sun sat at the edge of the horizon, warning all living things that night would soon be coming. Rogue took no notice and kept walking, letting her mind drift in the endless sea of muddled thoughts and half-formed confessions. She took no notice of the things around her, and at the moment, if there were to be a thing in the woods that dare want to harm the elf named Rogue, it would have had its chance. And Rogue would have readily fallen, dead before realizing she had been attacked.

But this was not to be so, and so she walked through the flat ground of the mountain, surrounded by trees. The ground started to decline slightly, and she walked down the hill until she reached what seemed to be a clearing. Not a clearing that would normally be thought of when the word was said, but enough of one that it could be accurately named this. The trees were not as thick here, although there were plenty of trees, and the breeze blew, leaving behind the sweet smell of honeysuckle flowers.

It was here that Rogue stopped her wandering, and stood, lost in thought. Putting her quiver next to her feet, she handled her bow carefully, not wanting to make an unwanted scratch on it. It was a beautiful, deep red. The top and bottom which held the string in place were tipped in shining silver, and along the left side of the bow was written: _i yéta an minë nat selma anta nyérë. "_The search for one thing will bring another." The letters on the wood were written in a light brownish-gold paint, glimmering in the sunlight, as if the bow was brand new.

She ran her hand over the smooth mahogany wood, letting her thoughts drift to when she first received the bow. Her father had given it to her…as a present. The second part of the present was to teach her how to use it, but first, he had said, he must go on a small journey to see a friend. It should have taken only a week; two at the most, but two months passed by. It was the morning of…

Rogue looked behind her, her eyes growing in shock. Legolas stood there, next to a tree a little bit away, just watching her. "And how long have you been watching me?" Rogue asked, feigning irritation. She silently thanked the stars that her tears no longer showed…not wanting any of the Company to see her not have control over something.

Legolas smiled. "Hold your peace. I had not come to quarrel with you…" He nodded towards the bow Rogue carried. "Why do you carry such a weapon if you cannot work it?"

Rogue started to look down, but quickly reminded herself that she looked down to nobody. Defiance flashed in her eyes as she answered him. "I've never said I could not use it."

"Yet you have never said you could use it."

This seemed to quiet Rogue, and Legolas wondered if he was pushing too hard. The girl was like the fine string on a bow-strong enough to withstand many a thing, yet bent in the wrong way , she would snap. 

When she was still did not speak up, Legolas tried saying another thing…trying to get her to talk. "Perhaps, if you wish to know how to use a bow, I may help you learn how to use one?"

That got a response out of her. She had turned and was looking a some nearby birds in a tree, but she looked at him sharply when she heard his suggestion. Her face held neither surprise nor shock, but rather the expression that the Prince of Mirkwood had lost his mind. "Teach me? I don't need your help, and even if I did, don't you have better things to be doing?"

He was slightly taken aback, although he did not show it, with Rogue's response, but he didn't give up. "A bow is not a hard thing to learn; come now, let me see how your stance is when you use the bow."

Rogue thought about retorting to Legolas again, about how she didn't need help, and how she could fight quite well without a bow. But thinking about it, she did a thing she rarely did - step down from an argument. Giving in, she moved so that her back was facing Legolas. She stood as she would with a sword, her left foot slightly behind her right food and her hips placed forward. She raised her bow, without an arrow, so that where the arrow would be was about eye level.

Legolas watched her, noticing the imperfections of her stance. He didn't move any closer to her, but rather told her what to do from where he stood. "Turn your hips back a bit…they're too straight forward."

Listening to his instructions, Rogue turned her hips to the right side, keeping the rest of her stance in tact.

"I'm sorry…I meant turn to the other side."

Turning her hips to the left side was much harder, and she struggled to stay in her stance.

"You need to turn them more."

So Rogue tried harder to turn her hips, but they resisted even more.

"A bit more…"

Frustrated, Rogue tried even harder, but to no avail. "I'm trying…it's just not working. Why don't you go onto something else?"

Legolas chuckled to himself, careful not to let Rogue know he found this amusing. "Here." He walked over to Rogue and placed his hands on her hips, moving them to the way he wanted. To any of the females that wished Legolas's hand in marriage, the contact might seem a bit …close, although they most certainly would not tell him to remove his hands. Rogue, on the other hand, was oblivious to how she, and Legolas, might seem to somebody looking in. Legolas was also not too aware of their stance, and instead was focusing on getting Rogue to work a bow correctly.

Rogue teetered a bit on her feet, her balance being knocked away from her by the change in her hip placement. Finding that she was about to fall down, she leaned into Legolas a bit more, finally stable. Realizing that she was leaning into him for balance, Legolas moved his hands away and stepped back from Rogue. With Legolas not there, Rogue lost any stability that she had and fell straight to the ground, landing on her butt.

Getting up, she brushed off the leaves that clung to her, and tried to get the same stance again. This time, she was able to do it. "Is this how I'm supposed to be?"

Nodding, Legolas answered her. "Quite. Now, let us see how well you are doing with shooting an arrow." He bent down and took a single arrow from her quiver and handed it to her.

Taking the arrow from him, Rogue placed the arrow perfectly on the bow, then looked over her shoulder at Legolas and grinned wickedly. "You might want to move."

Legolas heeded her warning and moved over to his left, although he never had seen a person that was so bad with a bow that they would shoot the arrow _behind_ them. But then again, he had never seen Rogue.

Pulling, the string back, Rogue picked out a tree which stood around 12 feet in front of her to act as a target. Then she let the string go, but somehow her hands were positioned wrong so that the arrow flew quite a distance behind her. Looking at Legolas, she sighed. "_That's_ why I told you to move. Look, don't bother with trying to teach me this…I've got my sword, and daggers….that's all I really need."

He shook his head. "You just need a little work. Here, this is how you need to do it." Legolas took the bow that he had on her back and grabbed an arrow. Skillfully, he notched the arrow, and within seconds, the arrow was stuck in the side of a tree twenty feet in front of him.

Rogue looked doubtfully at her hands on the bow, but Legolas again moved over towards her. He positioned her hands, and then moved back over to his left. Taking an arrow from her quiver, he handed it to her and watched as she placed the arrow and carefully put her hands back into their original places that Legolas had put them in. It felt awkward to her, the way her hands were, but she knew it must be something that you grow used to. Pulling the string back slightly, she let the arrow fly. It flew a whole, dismal, two feet.

She sighed disappointedly, but looked at Legolas strangely when she heard him chuckle. "I do believe you're getting better," he told her.

Rogue, for a moment, looked at him in disbelief. How could he find what she was doing _funny_? And then, thinking about it, she herself found it a little humorous also. She shook her head and then did something she hadn't done since she was a small child - laugh. Not a sarcastic or dry one, but a true one. The smallest amount of joy could be heard in it as she walked over at picked up her arrow from the ground.

At the same moment, she could hear two pairs of feet coming towards her. Legolas obviously heard them also, for his head turned in the direction from which the sound came. Looking up, Rogue saw Boromir and Aragorn coming towards them.

"Did I hear the devil-witch laughing?" Asked Boromir.

Standing up, Rogue looked him straight in the eye. "Is that a problem?"

Ignoring Rogue, Boromir directed his next comment to Legolas. "If you can charm her into laughing, I believe you can charm any girl in Middle Earth to be your wife. I don't see why you're taking your time."

Legolas only smiled at Boromir's comment. Rogue, however, was almost trying to glare Boromir down. "I was having a genuine nice time with him, and _that's_ why I was laughing. But you wouldn't be able to understand that."

Noticing the bow in Rogue's hands, Aragorn asked about it. "Is Legolas trying to teach you how to use your bow?"

Rogue gave a small smile. "Trying, yes. Succeeding, no."

"Ah…I see you've found out it's a bit harder than it looks."

Rogue laughed. "Yes, I have. And do you know what Legolas first said to me? 'A bow is not a hard thing to learn.' And to think, I actually thought he'd be able to teach me."

Aragorn laughed. "You shouldn't listen to such words when you talk to Legolas…he is known for his experience with bows." He nodded towards the arrow in Rogue's hand. "Let's see how much he's managed to teach you."

She looked a bit dubious as positioned herself in front of her target and placed the arrow in its place. She slowly drew the string back, and right when she was about to let it go, she could hear Aragorn tell her, "Pull it back a bit more." Listening to him, she pulled it back even more and let the arrow loose. It flew towards the tree, almost hitting it.

"You've almost got it," Aragorn told her.

Smiling, she ran over to get her fallen arrow and bring it back. She shot several more arrows, each getting closer to the tree which she had dubbed 'her target'. On her sixth, and last, shot, she hit the tree. Although it was not a perfect shot, it was a lot better than what she had been doing. Aragorn and Legolas congratulated her, with Boromir staying silent since he was not willing to compliment the girl to her face yet. They had bickered a bit while she was shooting, and once Rogue actually shot an arrow at Boromir's direction on purpose, catching him off guard. Although it was far from hitting him, that started a whole new argument.

Legolas looked up at the sky above him, then back at the small group. "Night has come. We should return to the Company."

Just finishing picking up her arrows, Rogue stood up with her bow and quiver in her hands. Legolas's remark seemed to be the first time that Rogue noticed the night around them. Once again, Rogue's moods changed without any warning. There was no trace of smiles or laughter around her as she started to walk away from the group, towards the camping ground. "Thank you for the archery lesson. It was quite helpful," she called back curtly, and kept walking.

When Rogue was out of earshot, even for her elven hearing, Legolas spoke. "She seemed very…different this evening."

"She could be almost normal if she didn't have so many major mood changes," Boromir said.

Aragorn shook his head in confusion. "I doubt we shall see the part of her that we saw this evening very much ever again."

And with that, all three of them set off towards the camp. It was a cloudless night, and the stars shone brightly. The night was a peaceful one, and as they came upon the Company, they found all but Gandalf and Rogue asleep. Rogue didn't acknowledge them in any way, although they knew she heard them. Gandalf looked at them and smiled. "Rogue has taken the first watch. Get your sleep…tomorrow we travel in snow."

Boromir looked as if he was going to protest allowing Rogue to have first watch, but was silenced by a stern glance from Aragorn. They all lay down for the night, with Gandalf sitting with his back against the tree, leaving the only person awake to be Rogue. She kept all her senses alert, knowing she hadn't been as observant as she should have been earlier that day. Not only that, but she had let some of her emotions show to Legolas, Aragorn, and Boromir. _Boromir_. She knew she would be hearing about this evening from him. If it weren't for the damn bow, they wouldn't have seen she did have a soft spot. Soft spots were what killed you. And when people knew what made you soft and lose your focus, either they or someone else try and kill you. It was just how life worked when you wandered like Rogue did. Taking a deep breath, she resolved that she would be even more careful with her emotions, and work even harder to protect the Company from Saroshder. 


	11. Elithir

A/N: ::answering machine message:: Hi, I'm not home right now, but I don't own the Lord of the Rings. Please leave your name and number if you're J.R.R. Tolkien.

Hey look!! I have more reviews! Y'know what reviews are good for? Making me want to write more of my story. Hehe!

Thanks ZChan, Shirinar, loony, Nathronoelei for reviewing my story! Hey, this is funny…some of the people reading my story wants Rogue to hook up with Legolas, some others want her to hook up with Boromir, and the others don't care. Who will win? ::wicked grin:: I should make her hook up with Gimli just to make all you guys upset. I mean, come on, who doesn't like short, rough looking guys?

That was a joke! A _joke_ I tell you! But seriously, the person who (if any) that gets in a relationship with Rogue is going to remain a secret until later. Hehe! Yes, that does mean that I'm 90% sure of the outcome. 

Thanks everybody for liking my character! And even more thanks for saying it gives you 'un-mary-suish feelings'. I'm trying to make her as believable as possible…and hopefully she is anything _but_ perfect. Actually she has a lot of problems… ::grin:: Also, thanks for saying everybody was in character. I was worrying that I might have made Legolas, Boromir, and Aragorn a bit out of character…

" Sai'an" and "Ra'si" _are_ a form of Elvish, although a different type (dialect). The dialect of Elvish that these words come from is much rougher than 'normal' Elvish. The other various Elvish words (I have a lot in my poems if you didn't notice) are from the typical Elvish language and are free-flowing. I made up all of these words myself, along with their meanings. For the "_ i yéta an minë nat selma anta nyérë" _in Chapter Ten, I did some research for those words. I got them off of several sites, and I can't for the life of me remember all of them. You might want to go to a search engine and search for "Elvish Words" or "Elvish translator"…that's what I did. Yes, it took a while to get the right sites, but I was able to get a pretty good Elvish sentence, eh?

Also, I need to say that the saying on Rogue's bow ("The seeking for one thing will find another.") is actually an Irish Proverb and I did _not_ make it up. Now, on with the story!

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Chapter 11: Elithir

_Ah! See the stars shine upon us_

Suÿen,

I have seen it myself

Äonyé

The mysteries of the Moon

__

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The next day, Gandalf pushed the group hard. Once the day broke over the horizon, like usual, all the Company was awake and eating breakfast. They ate quickly, knowing they must not waste their time. Cloaks and extra garments were put on, since everyone knew that they would be traveling in the snow for a while.

The sun wasn't even at high noon when the group reached the snow on the mountains. From there on, their walking grew slower and more tedious. Legolas, along with Rogue, had no problem with the snow, but everybody else could not walk on snow. There was minimal talking, since that was a waste of energy and heat. Rogue, especially, spoke nothing to anybody, except for maybe 'Come on, we can't stay here all day' or a 'Don't think about the snow, it only makes it worse' as they first started out. She seemed to have forgotten all about the previous evening, although it was still vivid in her mind. 

The sky was a brilliant light blue, with only one or two clouds in the sky. The sun pierced through the blue like an arrow of fire, yet it provided little warmth. The snow was piled high on the mountains, and the slightest noise could start an avalanche. And so, after they started getting fairly high on the mountain, there was no talking. The poor hobbits wanted to stop and rest, but Gandalf plowed on, stopping only a few minutes for a lunch. 

Rogue, for one, was happy about the no talking. It gave her even more of a reason to hide her emotions, lest something in the mountain air make her want to say them again. The presence in her mind was ever there, but the voice came no longer, and she was glad for it. While she thought about the previous day's events, she kept all her senses awake. Yesterday, when she hadn't been listening, or watching, Saroshder could have decided to make his move right then and there, the Company would of fallen, and she would have been the cause.

__

You might still cause the Company to fall during this journey, Rogue thought. The thought was always with her, ever since she knew she would have to join the Fellowship. It was something she refused to think of, yet it was still there in the black crevices of her mind, never letting her forget.

And so the Company traveled like this for several days. There was no talking, no fires, no comfort. Just snow all around them and the hope that they would be at the end of their mountain journey soon. That, of course, was impossible. They had been traveling only a few days, and anyone in their right mind knew it took much longer than that to climb the mountain. In fact, they weren't even that close to the top yet. 

Around noon of the second day through the snow, the Company passed the place where they were forced to turn back on their first journey. As they walked through the place, Rogue could feel dread emitting from all of the Fellowship; memories of how they made the terrible choice of going into Moria. _Moria_. And suddenly, the only thing that Rogue could think about was how they must not enter the Mines of Moria, even though she wished to believe the dwarves were keeping the Mines safe. Thankfully, nothing happened at the place, and the Company passed through unharmed.

It was now the third day, and the sun was starting to sink low in the sky. There was only an hour of walking time left, and then the temperatures would drop to colder degrees. It was at this moment that Gandalf stopped for seemingly no reason and looked ahead. Following his lead, the rest looked to see what had caught the leader's attention. A village, or was it a city?, stood several hundred feet in front of them. Stone walls surrounded all of it, allowing only the wooden roofs of the tallest buildings to be seen. A gate stood, facing the Company. It was built out of a heavy wood, and the metal on it showed it was heavily locked. The walls and gate were weathered by the years, and held a slight welcoming appearance, instead of the non-welcoming one that most stone walls and wooden gates gave off.

The Company had long since passed the threat of an avalanche, and the clearing was extremely peaceful and held no hint of danger. Merry spoke up in an awed voice. "A city in the mountains?"

Aragorn nodded. "That is the city of Elithir. I've been there only twice, and both times being when I was traveling before our journey with the Ring."

Legolas seemed to be confused about finding this mountain-city. "How is it that I have never heard of this city?"

"The travelers which come here tend not to be the normal traveler looking only for a good rest,"

Rogue had moved up to stand next to Gandalf, looking intently at Elithir. "Elithir. The Mountain-City. Long has it been since I have been here…" She breathed, directing her statement only to herself. Turning around she walked back to where she had stood in line, with her horse still beside her. "That city that we stand before is, as Aragorn has said, Elithir. It is one of the more unknown cities…"

Gimli's gruff voice spoke up. "It's name is Elvish…is it, then, an Elvish city?"

She shook her head. "No, yet there might be an elf or two in the city. The founder, so I was told, was an Elf, and so gave it an Elvish name. It is, however, unusual because of one thing. The people who dwell in this city mingle together…although it is mostly Men, there are a few Elves, and sometimes, although I have seen it only once myself, Dwarves living at this city."

"And are there no Hobbits?" Pippin asked indignantly.

Rogue laughed her cold, sarcastic laugh. "No, that one I have never seen. But I am sure they will allow you to live there if you wish, Master Peregrin."

Frodo looked at Rogue. "How do you know so much about this city, may I ask?"

She thought a moment, thinking whether it would be better if she didn't tell them. But the city was not important enough to lie about. "_That _city is where I spent my childhood."

That came as a shock to everyone in the group, and they all looked at her a bit wide-eyed. Except for Boromir. "Well, now we know we shouldn't stop there."

"Perhaps if we stop there, they could send you to sit in one of their dank dungeons for a night," Rogue replied.

"If I were in a dungeon, then believe me, you would be too, for I would swear to the stars that you worked with me…in whatever they were to charge me with."

"We shall go to the Elithir and at least spend the night there. We shall see if we need to spend more time," Gandalf declared loudly.

Rogue walked out of line, holding her horse's reigns, and ended up next to Gandalf. "Let me talk…they know me, and I can get us into the city quicker. I am sure they are as skittish as they have always been, especially since this is winter."

Without listening to whether or not Gandalf agreed with her, she pulled the hood of the black cloak, over her head. She walked ahead of Gandalf, holding the reigns of her horse in her right hand. Knowing that Rogue was right when she said 'they know me', no one voiced their worries of having her lead the group. As she started to walk toward the gate, the Company followed the black figure. She looked quite formidable dressed fully in black, with her horse to match. The silver of her daggers and her sword glittered in the sunlight, the only things to seem to have color on Rogue. Her hood cast an eerie shadow on her face, letting only enough light upon it as to be able to see her face vaguely. 

Looking up as she walked, light gray clouds could be seen forming. Their appearance spoke of snow falling soon, and Rogue saw their good luck. "It seems as though we made it to Elithir just in time. Snow will be falling soon. We might have to stay more than one night depending on whether the snow falls badly or not." Something in her voice told the group that their stay would not depend just on how much snow fell, but something else as well. Whatever it was, they were most certain that Rogue would at least hint at it later on.

"Strider, are the people here very friendly?" Asked Sam.

Aragorn had to think about that before answering. "The people of the town are friendly from what I have seen. But there are always several travelers staying here, and they do not seem to be the best to make conversation with."

"Hmm…yes, I'd advise you not to talk to the travelers if you can help it. But, that's only my advice. You may talk to them if you wish…." Rogue added in. "Tomorrow, if you cannot find me, don't worry about it too much. There are a few things I need to see to while we're here…"

"Who would be worried if we couldn't find you?" Boromir replied.

And then the Company stood before the large gate the lead into Elithir. Rogue swallowed her retort to Boromir, and instead reached out and banged loudly with the regal brass knocker on the wooden door. The gate was quite strange indeed, for it was not normal to find a gate decorated as if it were the entrance to a home.

A young voice answered the knock, a young boy to be exact. He seemed to be no more than 14 years of age, and was apprenticing for the job of gatekeeper, no doubt. Although the voice was recognizably male, it was a bit more high-pitched…like that of a boy that had not gone through puberty yet. "Who goes there?"

"Open the gate," Rogue demanded.

Silence. And then a peep window, which was built into the wooden door, slid open slightly. The pair of young eyes that looked out was obviously that of the young boy. He hesitantly looked around at the group, his eye growing wide when he noticed the black-cloaked girl with a black horse standing at the front of the group. The window slammed shut, and then the Company could hear the young boy looking for his Master.

"Master Farinheild! Master Farinheild! Master Farinheild…" The boy's voice was now filled with nervousness and even a hint of fear.

A gruff, old, male voice answered the boy. "What 'tis the matter, Noshim?"

"A…a lady is at the gate."

"I have told thee what to do. Find the traveler's name, and then know their business for coming to Elithir. It's a simple as that."

"But…"

"But nothing! Now tell me, who is at the gate? I can tell from how thee talk that thee know."

There was a moment of silence as the boy tried to calm his nerves, and then his voice came back. " 'Tis the Lady Ranger…."


	12. Rogue's Disappearance

A/N: I don't own LotR ….blah, blah, blah…etc., etc., etc.

Thanks ZChan, Nathronoelei, and loony for reviewing my story! 

I'm glad the 'title' "the Lady Ranger' helped bring suspense into the story….that was what it was supposed to do. ::grin::

Ooh…sorry about that black eye, ZChan. You should probably watch where you're sitting if you're going to hurt yourself like that when reading my stories…oh, and you might want to get your allergies checked on…your 'coughing' spells seem to be getting more prevalent. ::grin::

::starts to crack up laughing when I read: old people in fluorescent jogging suits that power-walk:: That's hilarious!! I'll try to post chapters every day, all right everybody? Will that keep everybody happy?

I'll let you, loony, and ZChan debate on who Rogue will get together with. I'm…::secretive smile:: not telling.

Sorry for the bad chapter…I was rushed!!

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Chapter 12: Rogue's Disappearance

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Undeán Truiÿ

Your secrets show in your eyes

Èisyn Níaeu

And shadows lie on your lips

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Rogue waited impatiently as silence engulfed all around her. The boy had announced her as 'the Lady Ranger', which she was used to by now, but she knew her companions within the group were taken aback by this 'title'. Looking out of the corner of her eye, she could see that Aragorn had a bemused expression on his face. 

"Did you not hear me? I said open the gate!" Rogue said, her voice growing in irritation and impatience.

The window on the gate opened once again, yet showing an aged set of eyes this time. They were of a dark brownish color, and wrinkles lined the outside of the eyes. Looking out, you could tell the man was stern and didn't take much foolishness, and it was obvious that this was the man the child had called, "Master Farinheild."

Just like the child's, his eyes stopped on Rogue, and he regarded her carefully. "It seems as though Noshim was right…the Lady Ranger has returned," he breathed to himself.

He closed the window slowly and then called the boy named Noshim to him. The boy was obviously reluctant to be around Rogue, for it took Master Farinheild several times until the boy actually came to him. The next thing the Company knew, they could hear the locks being unbarred. The loud, metallic clash of bronze against bronze pounded within their ears, and startled Frodo and Merry enough for them to take a few steps back. Rogue stood, unmoving, waiting for the gates to be opened. She had listened to the deafening noise many times before now and it no longer bothered her like it did the Fellowship. 

And then the gate started to move slowly inwards, being opened by both the old man and the boy. It seemed to take much strength, for the two could be heard grunting and moaning as the door opened. Once the entrance was just large enough for a horse to make it through, the gate stopped moving. Master Farinheild moved so that he was standing in the doorway and the boy Noshim stood hesitantly several feet behind him. 

Rogue pushed her hood back, letting her brown hair flow around her face once again. Her eyes flashed with a deadly anger for being kept so long at bay from the Elithir. "How wonderful it is that you have opened the gates, but that does not help us get into the city if you stand there like that," she said, her voice dripping with sarcasm and danger.

The man seemed neither perturbed or scared of Rogue, although he did seemed wary and ready to move if she were to walk towards him. "It is Winter, and we must be careful of all strangers that pass in our mists. It seems, however, that you are the Lady Ranger, and you have not tried to fool us. But who are your companions that travel with you?"

It was not a surprise that Farinheild knew naught of Company, for he seemed to have lived in Elithir for many a year. They doubted that actual news rang throughout the streets of this city; only rumors from the dark-looking travelers. But it was a surprise to find out that the man, who was a Big Person, did not recognize the King or Steward of Gondor. 

Although Rogue noticed this, she dismissed it, finding it to be in the group's favor. "It does not matter whom I travel with. I travel with who I wish, and you shall let them enter without question," Rogue replied.

Farinheild seemed a bit hesitant at first, and the boy seemed like he was about to bolt. He bowed his head slightly as he replied to her. "They, along with yourself, will be welcomed into the city. Yet at the first sign of trouble from this group, there are plenty of people within these walls which would be willing to help move you out of Elithir and keep the peace."

The man moved to the side of the entrance, limping on his right foot. From his mannerism he did not seem to be the type that had gotten injured during a fight, and so it was just a mark of old age on his body. His white hair on his chin and the top of his head blended in almost perfectly with the perfectly white snow all around. He let his beard grow long, reaching almost his waist, and yet kept the hair on his head only shoulder length. He hunched only slightly, so one could see it only if they were looking for it. 

Noshim, the boy that had originally answered the gate, followed his Master to the side to let the Company pass. He also was of the Big People, and seemed to be only of the age 12 or 13. He stood just under 5'5", just short enough that he had to look up to see Rogue's face clearly. He had motley brown hair that had a few strands of hay in it, from where he had slept in a pile of hay the night before. He had deep, hazel eyes that watched every step Rogue took. The fear he had of the girl showed, and he made sure to keep out of her reach, even though Rogue would have no reason to go after a boy so young of age. 

Rogue had let go of her horse's reins, but now took them up again. As she led the group through the gate, the rough looking, yet pleasing, buildings of Elithir greeted them. About the same time that they were allowed to pass into the city, the gray clouds that had been growing above their heads finally burst, starting a light snowfall. The tiny white flakes fell among them, landing on the already snow-covered ground. Some speckles did not land on the ground, but instead on the heads and shoulders of the group, spotting their clothing with the strange white, glowing sensation that snow has. It was strangest, the group noticed, to see snow on Rogue. The snow landed gently on Rogue's dark brown hair, contrasting oddly with not only her hair, but her whole self. 

They walked through the empty streets, following Rogue to wherever she was taking them. There was an odd assortment of buildings, showing the diversity of the people who lived here. There were the houses and shops built with wood, and others were built with a type of brick. And there even others that were built straight out of the earth, along with the ones that were too strange to imagine. How the building was even able to stay upright was an amazing thing, and it certainly gave an eye something to look at.

The roads were paved with bricks, and the buildings, although worn with age, seemed to whisper a welcoming to the new travelers. 

And then Pippin asked the question that was lying in all of the Fellowship's hearts. "Rogue, how do you know those people? I mean, yes, you grew up here, but…"

"You are an Elf, and wouldn't that make you much older than they are?" Merry started to finish for Pippin.

"And you said that you spent your childhood here…but you never said you lived here any other time. By the time that you were old enough to travel, wouldn't those people not have even been born yet?" Pippin finally finished.

Rogue always found it amusing how those two were able to read each other so clearly. And that they were not afraid to ask questions. In some cases, that could get you in a lot of trouble, but in other times, it could be quite helpful. So she humored them, answering their questions. "You've thought things through a bit more than I would have expected from either of you."

With that, both Merry and Pippin seemed very proud of themselves.

"Yes, I said I spent my youth here," Rogue continued. "But, as you expected, I did not stay here once I got the chance to travel. And yes, everyone I knew here when I was still a child is either dead or has sailed over the Sea."

Just the mention of the Sea brought a longing on Legolas's face, yet Rogue pressed on. "But throughout my journeys, I have returned here on several occasions…for various reasons. The people know me from those times, and from rumors that have been brought to them by the random wanderers which pass by this place."

It was obvious Rogue had skirted around some information that might have been useful, and hadn't told the complete truth. But the Company took what they could get out of Rogue. Seeing that she had actually answered their questions so far, Merry tried to push a bit further. "Why did both of them call you the 'Lady Ranger'? Are you really a Ranger?"

For this, though, Rogue stayed silent. She shook her head slightly to rid herself of the soft blanketing of snow that had covered her head. The road that the Company was traveling on had many a twist. There was in this city, it seemed, one main road, with many a small avenue sprouting off of it. From the main road, the city seemed endless, however, they all realized that it was actually a quite small city compared to others…such as Bree. But for the mountains, it was quite a spectacle.

Aragorn was starting to wonder whether Rogue had forgotten where she was going in the city. But before he could ask her where they were going, he saw their destination: _The Whistling Lark_. This had been one of the only places he had stopped at when he had visited the city the two times before. _The Whistling Lark_ was a pub and a rooming house…and warm beds were exactly what the Company needed at this time. He was, however, concerned on how they would pay for the rooms, since no one had brought enough money to buy a decent room. As they grew closer to the pub, they could see it was a wooden building, with its sign hanging over the door. It seemed to be an old building, just like all the others in the city. It was, however, in extremely good condition for whatever its age. As they walked up the steps, Aragorn voiced his concern of money to Rogue. "Although rooms would be a wanted luxury tonight, have you forgotten none of us brought much money? There is no way we cold afford even one room."

Rogue moved out of the way, moving to the back of the 'line'. She took hold of her horse and Bill in either hand, then answered Strider. "You are worrying about money? That is something that we do not need to worry about," then without telling them where she was going, walked around the right side of the building. Here there could be found the rickety stable of the old pub, and Rogue quickly put the two horses each in a stall.

Returning back to the Fellowship, she shook the rest of the snow off of her, although a few flakes clung to her, savoring her heat although they melted from it. She moved around each person, getting back to the front of the line, and then wordlessly led them into the pub. Each member of the Company did the same before they entered. The airy atmosphere of the city outside was instantly swept away once within the pub. Here, the darkness was kept away by candles, and there was a constant rumble of voices talking and laughing. There were many a group of men gambling, and others drank ale while sharing stories. But once you got over the good cheer from the pub regulars, the travelers seemed to give off a foreboding appearance. There was, of course, a few which seemed harmless, but there were many more which were instantly thought of being evil-looking. Of course, perhaps these people were no worse than Boromir or Aragorn, but it was their look that made the Company wary. 

Much like at Bree, there was a desk at the front of the pub. A plump, merry man waddled over quickly when he saw the new customers. "Now, what may I get you? Rooms for the night? Perhaps some ale to go along with it?"

Rogue again took the lead of the group. "Rooms for the night. Ten."

"Ten?" Questioned the man, only seeing five of the Company above the counter. Seeing that the dark-looking girl knew she had not made a mistake, he looked over the counter. Seeing the Hobbits and the Dwarf, he suddenly understood. "Ah…. four hobbit-sized rooms from the ten, then? Oh, lets make it five…" His voice seemed to quiver with mirth and joy, and he hummed a merry tune as he seemed to be filling something out. Looking up, he told Rogue how much she would owe. "That will be-"

Rogue, however, cut him off before she could hear the price. "We have no money."

"Well, then there is nothing I can do for you…" And the man started to back away from the desk.

Before she could be stopped, Rogue was leaning over the counter and had grabbed the man's thick wrist. "We _want_ rooms."

Aragorn shook his head at Rogue's actions. One should never threaten an innocent person for something…no matter how much the need.

Rogue's behavior frightened the man. Nodding shakily, he replied, "Y-yes, Lady." She let go of his wrist and stopped leaning of the counter, still looking quite grim at the man. The man fumbled through the papers and junk that cluttered his counter, and gave ten separate keys to Rogue.

She gave him a smile that held no joy, and walked forwards through the cluttered pub towards the stairs which led upwards. As the rest of the group passed the shopkeeper, they murmured their thanks. He soon forgot about his fright, and waved merrily at them as they climbed the stairs. There were chairs sprawled all over the floor in the pub, along with an occasional drunken man lying on the floor. The Hobbits moved quickly out of the way of the drunks that were making their way back up to the counter, too, or they would have been plowed under. Reaching the stairs, they climbed them carefully, knowing they were old. A few of the steps moved from side to side, and emitted a loud, high-pitched, creaking noise, but nobody noticed in the pub. 

They came to the second floor, and noticed that there was still a third floor above them. But Rogue did not bother to climb these stairs, and instead stayed on the second floor. It was one long hallway, with rooms opening on both walls. Stopping in the middle, Rogue held out the large, brass keys. Large, block numbers were painted on each of them in a black paint. "Here, take one, then get some sleep. If you want your packs, then you have to go into the stable behind here to get them."

Each Hobbit, Elf, Dwarf, and Man took a key without much talking, for weariness was catching up with all of them. Before they all went to sleep for the night, however, Gandalf made one more announcement. "It seems, since we had unexpected snowfall, that we will most likely be staying here for an extra night. Now, off with all of you!"

The group dispersed, each entering their own room. All of them were much the same: lit by candle, medium-sized, and only three pieces of furniture. Although the city seemed to love brass, nothing of brass could be found in the room, except for the large locks on the door. One bed stood, the headboard against the right wall, and the rest of the bed sticking out into the room. On the far wall, an oak dresser stood silently with a window right above it, along with a bed stand on the right side of the bed. 

No one took very long to fall asleep, and it was only moments until all were lost in slumber. The droning of laughter downstairs and the flickering of the candle gave 'background' noise, yet it didn't keep sleep away. Night had fallen completely, and now the snow fell in heavier clumps, thudding against the roof and windows.

The morning came quickly, and the Company gathered downstairs, hoping to find some type of breakfast. It was a strange pub indeed, for the man behind the counter gladly gave them eggs and bacon for breakfast. The people in the pub from the night before seemed to all be still sleeping, and there were only two docile-looking people eating a breakfast much like the Fellowship was. They were forced to stay in Elithir for one more day and night, for new snow covered the ground, and traveling would be difficult. There was, of course, another reason also. Rouge could not be found.


	13. Hobbits' Adventure

A/N: I don't own the Lord of the Rings. However, Rogue and Elithir are mine. (I'm getting bored of writing this, can you tell?)

Thanks Athe, ZChan, Nathronoelei, and loony for reviewing my story! You guys are so great for giving me compliments….

And the saga continues…who will win? Will Legolas end up with Rogue? Will Boromir end the journey with her? Or will Rogue decide both aren't good enough for her? ::devious grin::

I'm glad that everybody is enjoying the story so far…I hope you aren't growing too bored. There still are tons of chapters to come. As for my description of things…well, I tend to try to describe things. It makes it easier for the ready to realize 'where' they are. ZChan, I think you got me sick…I got the sniffles now…and…ahemyou'llahemhaveahemtoahemkeepahemreadingahemtoahemfindahemoutahemifahemtheyahemgetahemtogetherahemorahemnot! Ooch…sorry about that coughing spell everybody…

Sorry that I haven't updated in a long time!! I had such a busy weekend last week….lots of homework, I had a competition to go to, and then had to have some 'family time'…so I didn't have the time to update. Sorry about that!

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Chapter 13: Hobbits' Adventure

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A silver charm

Glows in the Sunlight

Sparkles in the Starlight

And Glitters in the Moonlight

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The Fellowship sat at a large, round wooden table in the pub. Light poured into the old-fashioned place, let in by the large windows that lined the walls. There was, in fact, almost no actual wall…windows covered almost all of it. The windows must have been 13 feet tall and 3 feet wide, and they were lined up right after each other, leaving only a foot or two of regular walls between each other. The man behind the counter, who's name was Deran, as the Company found out, had cleaned up _The Whistling Lark _quite nicely. With the light, one could see that there were twenty or thirty round tables, such as the one the Fellowship sat at right now, and twenty stools around a bar-like area. The tables were large enough to fit twelve people if needed, and was made out of a rich oak wood. Each table had eight chairs at them, although they were at liberty to be moved. They were made out of the same wood the tables were made out of, and was the 'classic' style of chair found in a pub. There were four legs, a nice, wide seat, two armrests, and a solid wooden backing. The stools by the bar were completely made out of the same oak wood, and held no backing to keep drunks from falling off.

The pub had seemed to transform overnight. It was no longer rowdy and boisterous, and the prime place to find unwanted people, but more comfortable and friendly. There were only a few people in the bar, and they held their conversations very low, not wanting to disturb anybody. Deran stood behind the bar counter, wiping it down with a brown cloth. He had been more than happy to serve the Fellowship breakfast when they had asked for it. They had expected some bread, or perhaps a bowl of grits, but each got four slices of bacon and two eggs. It was, they decided without talking, the best breakfast they had had since they left Rivendell.

Snow no longer fell outside, and the fresh, new snow covered the ground untouched. The group took their time, prolonging their breakfast to around two hours. Rarely did they actually take that long to eat, yet there was nothing else pressing from them to do today. Laughter and conversation were exchanged between members of the Fellowship, yet they made sure to keep their voices down as to not annoy anyone else in the pub. No one spoke of Rogue and her whereabouts, although the questions were at the front of all their thoughts.

With their food done, Merry and Pippin started to think of things that they could do to pass the hours at this town. 

And then Merry thought of the perfect idea. "This city is harmless, right?"

Boromir laughed. "That is what has been told to us, yet knowing that Rogue once lived here, I would be especially wary."

Gandalf replied with a twinkle in his eye, although not from Boromir's response. "Relatively, yes. What are you started to think, Meriadoc?"

Merry grinned. "I was just wondering whether it was possible to walk these streets without being caught by an Orc, or being ambushed by a Nazgul…"

"Well, the city is free of those things, Merry!" Aragorn told him, chuckling.

"Than me and Pippin are going to go looking around…."

"Looking around? What for?" Pippin questioned, then a thought dawned on him. "Mmmm…maybe there are some good food shops around here.."

Both Hobbits stood up and got ready to leave. Then Pippin pulled Frodo out of his chair by grabbing him by the arm. "You should come, too, Frodo!"

"But…I…I really don't…."

"Oh, don't be worried, Frodo! We just want to take a look around," Pippin said in reply.

Of course, Sam jumped down from his chair. "I'll be going, too. You won't be leaving me behind…"

Before Frodo could come up with a reason to not go 'exploring' with Pippin and Merry, the two cousins were walking towards the pub door, with Sam and Frodo in tow behind them.

As Merry opened the door, a large gust of wind hit the Hobbits. The air was freezing, making it feel as though the Hobbits had just been hit with a ton of ice. Gathering their cloaks closer to themselves, they stepped outside. The steps which led down from the _The Whistling Lark_ were clear of any snow fall, making it obvious that Deran had swept the stairs earlier. The ground all around Elithir was covered with a white, fluffy snow. Glittering in the sunlight, it made the town seem even more peaceful than it already was. 

The Hobbits walked along the streets, skirting around the taller people that weren't looking out for the Hobbits below them. Although snow covered almost everything, the people of this city seemed to have grown used to it, so their lives went on as normal. The businesses that lined the main street were extremely busy, with people whisking in and out their front door several times a minute. The air around the city was full of talk and laughter. 

Deciding to explore one of the smaller roads instead of the main one, the quartet turned down a random road. It was considerably less crowded, and businesses weren't found along the street…although there were many houses. As they walked along the road, with the breeze constantly reminding them of the freezing weather conditions, they finally became the only ones along the road. The houses slowly diminished, with calm tree-covered hills replacing the busy housing. Remnants of houses that must have existed hundreds of years ago could still be seen slightly, with snow-covered, ill-used paths leading up to what used to be the front door. It was along this road that the Hobbits were walking that they saw something that seemed odd. A medium-sized hill stood a little bit away from the road. But not a normal hill…a hill with a house built into it. The design was much like a Hobbit house…well; more like exactly like a Hobbit house. Just a bit larger, as if to be able to fit taller people in it.

"I thought Rogue said no Hobbits lived here…" Sam started.

"Maybe she just didn't notice this one…it _is_ sort of away from the main road," Frodo replied.

Pippin looked around, but saw no one else on the road. Then, grabbing Frodo and pushing him along the house's trail, or where it should have been, started moving towards the house. "C'mon! There's no harm in looking at it...." 

The group walked towards the house, but stopped several feet away from the front door. Sam looked extremely cautious, as if he were expecting someone to walk out of the front door. Merry and Pippin, however, threw caution to the wind and walked up to a window that sat to the right of the house's large, circular, wooden door. Their attempts to be quite were useless, for they constantly were trying to tell the other to be quiet. They stood under the window, only half an inch too short for the window to be at eye level. This, of course, did not stop them, and, standing on their toes, both brought their heads up to the window and peered in. No candles flickered within the house, nor did a fire slowly eat at chopped wood in the fireplace. The winter sun, did, however, shine into the house from several different windows, allowing light to be spread into the gray world inside. It seemed that the front door led straight into the main room of the house, for that was what the Hobbits were looking at through the window. A low, dark-wooded table that stood only around a foot and a half off the floor, stood in the middle of the room. A medium-sized, light brown couch (which seemed to be made out of cow-hide), made for around three people, faced the coffee table, its back towards the window. A matching chair, standing close to the table, yet facing the window, also stood near the middle of the room. On the table were two white saucers with beautiful blue designs all over them. Behind the table, where the couch was facing, was a fireplace engraved into the brick wall. Two large logs stood ready to be burnt, and the bottom was covered in old ashes from past fires. Yet now, it seemed woefully empty, with no telltale signs of a fire…no coals, no flickering flame, no wisps of smoke. A large pile of logs stood four feet on the right of the fireplace, ready to be fed into the flames, but instead, only forming cobwebs. 

An old desk rested against the left wall, ready for the master of the house to return. Papers cluttered the desk, and a draft from somewhere in the house kept moving the edges up. A black raven feather, tipped in silver (which seemed to be used as a quill) and some ink waited patiently for use in the back left corner, while a smallish sized white stone laid on one of the stacks of paper, becoming a paperweight. A few sheets of the paper had come loose from the drafts and rested peacefully on the floor, awaiting the day that someone would pick them up again. 

Two doors led from the room. One was straight ahead, and it seemed it would be towards the kitchen, while the other was on the right side of the room, and perhaps led to the sleeping chambers.

The house was definitely empty of any living things, besides any insects that had gotten in. Turning around, Pippin yelled over at Frodo and Sam. "C'mon! Nobody lives here…let's take a look around."

Merry had already walked up to the front door, and took hold of the handle lightly. Surprisingly, although there was a large brass lock on the door, it swung open without a fight. Dust came showering down on Merry, making him cough and sneeze. Once the cloud was gone, he walked in, followed closely by Pippin, and then, although more cautiously, Frodo and Sam. Looking around, the house seemed to be very 'homely' and comforting…if it didn't have an inch of dust on everything. Looking down, they noticed that they stood on a red and gold-ish colored rug, with royal blue tassels at the ends of all the sides. They stood, looking around at the main room, for several minutes. 

And then Sam spoke up. "I s'pose you were right…this house _is_ abandoned…"

"See? We told you to trust us…now, let's take a look around here, eh?" replied Merry.

Sam had already wandered over to the desk and was looking at the paper and trinkets which stood on the desk. Picking up the black feather, he looked at it skeptically. Then, seeing the small, white, stone paperweight, he hastily put down the feather so he could look at the rock better. He did not, however, put it back in the place he had gotten it from, and when he moved his arm to reach for the stone, the gust of wind that he created moved the feather. It flew straight into the small pack the Sam was carrying, which he was holding near the desk, with none of the Hobbits noticing the feather becoming missing from the desk's surface. Merry and Pippin walked into the doorway which, they had guessed, lead to the kitchen. They had guessed right, and right before them stood a kitchen, with everything intact. There were two one and a half feet tall (with around a one foot width) windows on three of the walls: the one before Pippin and Merry, the one to the right, and the one to the left. Sun shone through brightly, lightening the whole space around the room. Just like the main room, a wooden table stood at the center of attention in the kitchen. It was, however, a larger, much more 'normal' size for a Big Person to sit at. Although it was by no means a large table, it was large enough to sit four people at it. It was about four or five feet long, while being three or four feet wide, with one chair on each side of the table. They, of course, matched the table perfectly…the light color of the wood and the way they were built. The chairs seemed to be much like the pub chairs, with large seats, armrests, and a broad, solid backing. To the left was a counter, the base being made out of brick and the top being made out of the same oak wood the furniture was made out of. There were five one-foot long shelves above the counter, hung on the wall, where all the dishes seemed to be placed, including utensils. All the dishes were the same; white, glazed ceramic with various designs painted on it in a brilliant blue. On the counter stood one single, larger sized bowl. In this bowl sat two carrots (which, by now, were long-since decayed), an apple (which, like the carrot, was almost gone), and several other things that so shriveled up that they were impossible to tell what they were.

As Pippin and Merry looked around at the kitchen, Frodo had wandered into the door by the right side. This passageway led to a small, lighted hallway. Three doors, slightly apart, stood in this hallway, along with two windows, which provided the light Frodo needed. The hallway was covered in dust like the rest of the house, and since the windows here were a bit smaller, there was less light than the main room or the kitchen. Looking first to his left, and then to his right, Frodo decided to take a look in the room that was all the way at the end of the left side of the hallway. Walking down to the door, kicking up a cloud of dust as he went, he turned the brass handle, swinging open the door. Much as it had happened to Merry, a cloud of dust fell upon Frodo as he had opened the door and stepped in. Coughing and sneezing, he shook his head vigorously to keep away the dust. Most of it quickly settled on the floor, leaving a thin haze of dust around Frodo. Looking around, he found that he had walked into what once was a bedroom. A large, wooden bed sat in the middle of the room, its headboard pressed against the clay wall (brick, you see, had only been used on the inner walls of this house) while vibrant, powder blue sheets lay on it, tucked in at the corners. Two large, matching pillows rested at the head of the bed, while the four wooden posts that marked each corner of the bed rose to try and meet the ceiling, although not quite making it. At the top of the posts, the wood bulged, forming a graceful knob at the peak of each post. Matching the bed, a dresser, with six large drawers, stood at the opposite end of the room from where Frodo stood. The top of the dresser was uncluttered, unlike the desk that was in the main room. Above the dresser sat a window, welcoming in the sunlight and any warmth it brought. 

The room was quite empty, with very little things adorning the walls or stacked up in the corners. But one thing caught Frodo's eye…

"Sam! Merry! Pippin! Come see this!" yelled Frodo to his companions.

It didn't take very long for the three Hobbits to run into the room, almost knocking over Frodo. 

"What is it, Mr. Frodo?" Sam asked, and then was instantly quieted when he saw what Frodo was looking at.

Merry and Pippin were also quiet, for the object held the same strangeness to them also. Leaning on the wall, beside the dresser, sat a large portrait that must have been 3 feet tall and one foot wide. It was framed in a sparkling silver, seeming to be almost like the Elvish mithril. It wasn't the frame or the size that had made the Hobbits hold their tongues, but the picture itself. It seemed to be as bright as it was when it was first created, and the colors were radiant. The portrait was of a little Elvish girl that looked to be 9 or 10 in normal years, but the Hobbits knew she would have been much older. She sat straight up, her legs pressed gently together, and crossed at the ankles. From about her feet to her knees, her legs had been angled to the left side of her, making her posture less rigid. Her hands laid one on top of the other on her lap. She wore a subtly sparkling green dress that had short sleeves and covered her entire body down to her ankles, where it fell about her legs nonchalantly. She had her rich, brown hair pulled up into a high ponytail at the back of her head, except for two long tendrils of hair that softly framed her face. Her hair seemed long, and when not pulled up, it looked as though would go down to her waist or even lower. The girl in the portrait held her head up, lifting her chin slightly. Her eyes were pools of swirling brown, while her nose was small yet regal. A soft pinkish-red color tinted her lips, and she pressed them softly together to form a smile. 

Just looking at the portrait, it seemed as though the girl had been kind and happy in her days of youth, although the Hobbits were sure those were hundreds of years ago.

"Does she seem…familiar to any of you?" Frodo asked. 

The picture tugged at some memory of someone he had met. But he just couldn't quite catch the idea of who it was that looked so much like the picture.

Sam nodded slowly. "I think I remember someone like her somewhere…"

"I just can't figure out who it could be. Maybe we're just imagining things…you know, cold weather can do that to you!" replied Pippin.

And then the conversation dropped. The silence that had engulfed the house before now became deafening. Every creak, every snap of a twig from outside made the Hobbits look around nervously. It was foolish of them to act in such a way, they knew, but the picture had made them nervous. It wasn't that they thought she might suddenly come back from where ever she was, but…

"Do you want to go back and see what Strider and Legolas and everybody are doing?" asked Pippin, trying to break the silence and get out of the house.

"That sounds like a good idea," Frodo answered.

"I was just about to say the same thing," Merry replied, saying his statement at the exact same moment Frodo said his. 

So it was decided that the Hobbits leave the house and go back to the pub. Or at least go by the food shops off of the main street. Closing the door as the left the room, Frodo led the group out of the house and onto the road. The house had been warmer than they had realized, and as soon as they walked outside the front door, the below-zero weather hit them again. Trudging along through the snow, they slowly walked back the way they had come, still trying to figure out who it was that resembled the portrait so much.

It didn't take long for quartet to start talking avidly again, and they soon all but forgot the house and the strange girl.


	14. Dark Rumors

A/N: Well, I still don't own the Lord of the Rings. Damn.

Thanks ZChan, Ezellohar Shark and Shark,the smart half, and loony for the reviews!! And thanks to Nathronoelei for the e-mail!! ::grin:::

Well…let's see…there's another person that wants Rogue to get with Boromir…are there any more votes in the audience? Not that it really matters in the story…but it's fun to see people debating.

Anyhoo, geez, ZChan…you're starting to twitch now, too? I hope you won't have to wait for the end of the story for that all to go away…because I predict that to be a long time in the future. As for Merry and Pippin exploring people's houses….well, I felt it to be better than having Legolas break into a house. I mean, do you ever think he would do such a thing? ::evil grin::

Well, thanks to everybody for reading my story…I still love reviews…it helps me want to write, you know…

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Chapter 14: Dark Rumors

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The truth may be concealed

Within the bright daylight

Nansÿn, O Nansÿn

Thy tears burn her flesh

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The rest of the Company, Legolas, Aragorn, Gandalf, Boromir, and Gimli, sat at the table that they had been sitting at when the Hobbits had left. Their plates from breakfast had now been removed, and large cups of cider now sat on the table.

They were enjoying themselves, especially Aragorn. He leaned back comfortably in his chair, savoring the idea that no one knew who he was here in this town. Being King of Gondor was what he had wanted to do, yet having no privacy took some time to get used to. Whenever he had tried to escape for a quiet moment at Gondor, no matter where he went, he was instantly plagued by his assistants asking him questions. But here, no one knew who he was. And he wasn't about to tell them either.

"It seems like we shall be staying another night here, unless Rogue shows up earlier than expected," Chuckled Gandalf, with his pipe in his mouth.

"You say that like it's a bad thing," Gimli replied gruffly.

Leoglas laughed at his friend. "I believe you have grown soft during those two years of doing nothing."

Gimli raised a bushy eyebrow. "I have done nothing of the sort!"

Aragorn decided to join in with Legolas's taunting, finding it nice to finally have some time to just talk with everybody. "I do think that Legolas is right…perhaps you will settle down even more after this journey…and marry a girl!"

Gimli chuckled. "You shall see Legolas married before I will be."

"And we all know how impossible that is," Boromir joined in, grinning.

Legolas smiled and laughed. "You make it sound like I have intentionally run away from every prospect of marriage I have encountered."

"And you are to tell us you have not?" Aragorn asked, teasing his friend.

"An Elf marries for love, not just to be married. And I have merely not found someone I could truthfully say I love..." Legolas trailed off, remembering something he had meant to bring up at breakfast. Seeing Deran, the bartender and the owner of the pub, start to walk over to the Company's table brought back the random idea that Legolas had thought of while drifting off to sleep the night before. "The people in Elithir certainly seem to know Rogue a bit, don't they?"

"Indeed they do, Legolas. Why do you ask?" Gandalf replied.

"Rogue keeps secrets from us, for some reason that we do not know. But perhaps people here may help us find out what she's keeping from us..."

The balding Deran, taking only two more steps, now stood by the Company's table. "Is there anything more I can get for you?"

With the pub being so empty, Deran, it seemed, had nothing to do. He had polished his counter eleven times since the Company had eaten breakfast, and come by to ask how they were doing around eight times. The group found this amusing, especially since he seemed to come over at the worst moment - whenever they were talking about their journey. 

Aragorn smiled. "No, we're quite fine right now. But thank you…"

"Ah, well, just call me if you need anything," Deran replied. He started to walk away, but stopped after only two steps when Legolas finally spoke up.

"This pub…how long have you had it?" Legolas asked.

Turning around to face the group once more, Deran laughed. "Twenty years exactly. And I haven't had to rebuild any of it…"

Aragorn, understanding what Legolas was trying to do, continued. "If you don't mind me asking, have you lived in Elithir your whole life?"

"Yes, of course…I couldn't dream of living anywhere else. Is there a reason why you are asking me this?"

"Well, actually, there is...do you remember the lady which was with us when we first came here?" Aragorn asked, smiling.

"She was dark-haired, a bit grabby, and had a one-track mind…if that helps you remember her at all," Boromir said, grinning.

Deran's smile disappeared off of his face and his eyes darted from left to right as if to find anyone who might be listening in. He looked extremely nervous and his eyes landed on the group, moving from one person to the next. "You mean the Lady Ranger?"

"You mean Rogue," murmured Boromir.

"Yes, yes….Rogue, Lady Ranger…whichever you want to call her. She is the same person," Deran told Boromir. Then, his voice dropped to a whisper. "Why do you bring her up?"

"We just know a little about her…we were hoping that you might be able to tell us more," Legolas said.

Deran looked skeptical, so Aragorn tried to help Legolas out. "We wish to know a little about her past…what she has done-"

"I understand what you are wanting to know…yet, I fear I can not give you any more information than you already know. The only things that pass through here are rumors - and there are plenty of rumors about her - yet they are not trustworthy…" Deran replied.

"Can you prove any of the rumors false?" asked Boromir.

"Well…no…yet some seem very unlikely…"

"Very well…may you enlighten us with some of these….rumors? Any information is much needed…" Gandalf, puffing on his pipe, told Deran.

The bartender, looking around the pub once more and finding no eavesdroppers, looked hesitantly at Gandalf. His voice was still a rough whisper when he replied to the old wizard. "Like I have told you, there is many a rumor about Rogue…but some are more common than others. Those I shall tell you of." With a nod from Gandalf, and saw the rest of the group intently listening, he went on. "I have heard that, like the name she is called here, she is a lady Ranger…one of those deadly people that wander from place to place. And others have told me that her father is Elrond, Lord of Rivendell…which would make her sister to the Lady Arwen, Queen of Gondor."

Aragorn had picked up his glass of cider and begun sipping it, but with the mention of Rogue being related to Arwen, became surprised and started coughing violently on some cider. Deran looked at Aragorn with concern, yet the coughing spasm only lasted a few moments. Strider blinked back the water that had grown in his eyes when he was coughing, and nodded to Deran to continue. Legolas chuckled at his friend, knowing the reason of his surprise.

"Others believe she is intertwined with Mordor somehow…"

"Intertwined? In what way?" Boromir asked suddenly.

It was obvious that these rumors Deran had not wanted to speak of, for he hesitantly went on. "There are some that believe she is...the Queen of Mordor. Others believe that Sauron is not dead, and that she is somehow…working for the Evil One. One man I talked to even went as far as to say he saw her riding with the Nazgûl."

"I told you we should have not let her come with us!" Boromir told Aragorn.

Ignoring Boromir, Aragorn looked at Deran. "Those are the rumors, then…can you tell us which ones you believe to be more likely?"

"I suppose, although I don't know what my opinion counts for. Her being a Ranger, I am not sure of…however, she seems like she would be capable of it. Yet Elrond as her father seems a bit…far-fetched. The Lady Arwen and her are no where near alike…and I could not see them as sisters…."

"And what of her being tied to Mordor?" Gandalf prodded.

Deran sighed and shook head. "Although I wish not to say this, I find these rumors the most likely. But I can not say for sure…there are many people in this world that are dark-looking that have gone to Elrond for help and not Mordor."

Boromir was about to tell Aragorn something from across the table when Aragorn looked pointedly at his friend. "They are only rumors, Boromir. Nothing else."

"But you can not deny the fact that -" Boromir started to retort; yet his attention was grabbed by the dark-skinned man that had been sitting at the counter. 

The man had walked in only a minute earlier, and now, after looking around, noticed the group. Getting off of his stool, he walked over to the Company's table. By now, the whole group was looking at him warily, ready to pull their weapons. Deran, with the attention drawn off of him, had walked quickly back over to his counter, and started to polish it again. Uninvited, the man sat in the chair Pippin had occupied and looked at the group. He had a shaved head, deep brown eyes, and was medium height - around 5 feet 6 inches. The man was obviously a traveler, yet he seemed to know the bar well. 

Looking at Gandalf, he finally spoke. "You travel with the one known as Rogue, do you not?" His voice had a strange accent…one that came from near Belfalas. In our world today, the accent would be close to an English accent.

"Indeed we are. And who might you be?" Gandalf replied.

"Ah, that, my friends, isn't something we should be concerned about. Rogue is the concern."

"How so?" Gimli asked gruffly.

"She's trouble. You won't get far in whatever you are doing if you let her come with you."

"And tell me, how would you know whether she was trouble?" Legolas asked.

The man smiled a hollow smile. "You have not heard all the stories that I have heard of her…and it seemed only right to warn this group about her instead of allowing you to become the next story. Have you heard of the rumor that she works for Sauron?" Gandalf nodded. "Good, good…I had hoped you have…I fear it to be more than a rumor."

Aragorn looked skeptically at the strange man. "We do not even know who you are, yet you wish us to believe a rumor that Rogue works for Sauron?"

"Yes…we have been traveling with her for a little bit now…and she has not done anything strange enough to say she works for Sauron. It seems quite hard to believe, actually…" Legolas added on.

The man shrugged. "Fine. Do not listen to my words…it will not cause me any harm. Good luck on your travels, whatever they may be, and remember what you have heard in this pub." Standing up once more, the man started walking towards the door that led to the outside. Walking away, he said one last thing. "Do not be surprised when she turns on you…"

And with that, he took the knob of the door handle and turned it, letting the brisk, winter weather inside. He stepped out to the bright outside world, closing the door behind him. 


	15. News of the Riders

A/N: Hmm…still don't own the Lord of the Rings…I can keep hoping, though….

Thank you to ZChan, Nathronoelei, loony, and plasticChevy…it must say, I'm quite amazed that my story has been able to get such devoted fans. :) Thanks for all the reviews!! Although it took me awhile to sit down and write this new chapter (although, I must say, not as long as some of the other chapters), the reviews do give me a reason to actually take the time to write the story. I love to write…but I'm one of those people who live on other people's reactions to my writings. Anyhoo….

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ZChan: Hehe! A sunburn now, eh? And the hicups? There's always something wrong, isn't there! ::grin:: 'Ors'…'ors'…I do believe there'll be a lot of those in this story. If you think you've already figured those out…well…there's always the ton of adventures I have set up for the Fellowship…most of them are pretty original…hopefully you won't be expecting some of them…

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Nathronoelei: Thankies!! I sure do have a long list of chapters, eh? Hehe!

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plasticChevy: Ooh, a whole new viewpoint on the 'Rogue/Boromir' or 'Rogue/Legolas' thing! Somebody that doesn't want either! Interesting, very interesting…::grin:: Thanks for the ideas…I'll keep them in mind for later in the story! 

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loony: Hehe! Sorry it took me so long to update. I can't tell you if you got the 'answer' right about Rogue and her past, etc…because the answers are coming later in the story! ::grin:: Guess you'll just have to wait…

It has been taking me a while to update…I'm really sorry about that. Between homework and competitions, I barely have enough time to sleep as it is. However, I do have Spring Break coming up this week, and so I figure I can pop out a new chapter almost every day during that week! So look forward to that…

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This chapter takes place the same day as Chapter 14 and Chapter 13, just later in the day (around 4 o' clock, if you were wondering)

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Chapter 15: News of the Riders

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Listen, listen to me

Here the words I speak

Your fears grow present

And your hopes are few

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"You travel to the Rhovanion Wilderness next, do you not?"

"We shall have to pass through there, yes, but I hope not to linger."

"That is well, for I have heard the orcs are more numerous there than in other areas currently."

Rogue sat on a small stool next to a dark oak, rectangular table. It was a two-person table, and quite small compared to the tables in the pub. Dark splotches covered its surface, looking like ale had been spilled on the table several times. Except for three candles that flickered steadily on the middle of the table, no light penetrated the room. The darkness covered the table's coloring quite nicely, and one barely noticed how it had been misused. 

The small room was barely large enough to fit three people in it at once and the table took up most of the room. A counter was attached the wall behind the table, with pots and pans hanging on the wall above the counter. Like the table, the pans, pots, and other various utensils seemed to be mistreated regularly. Dents covered their surfaces, the bronze and silver coverings were now starting to rust over, and food stains covered almost all of the items. The counter itself held nothing except for a pitcher of something - ale, cider, water…

A large barrel that seemed to hold ale sat in the back left corner, unopened. There were only two windows in the whole room, one above the counter and the other on the right wall, yet both were covered in black sheets. A door sat next to the window on the right wall, seeming to lead outside, while another door, which seemed to lead to other parts of the house, sat on the left wall. 

The air in the room was dank and heavy. The smells of stale ale, various rotten foods, and mildew that grew near the roof filled Rogue's nostrils, yet they had no effect on her. Her senses within her nose had grown used to the smell, just as her eyes had grown used to the dim light.

Conversation between the man and Rogue had dwindled down to nothing, and now Rogue sat silently, contemplating what the rest of the Company was up to on this day of rest_. Sitting in the pub drinking or merrily looking at the shops, no doubt,_ Rogue thought. At least they hadn't gotten the urge to start a search party for her. The previous night, she had decided that leaving the _Whistling Lark_ at dawn seemed to be the only way she could have gotten away from the group without incessant questions. When she had left, not even the owner of the pub was up. 

Rogue suppressed a sigh. She had hoped that in Elithir she could find out some of the happenings around Mordor and Isengard. No rumors had been brought in with the travelers about these places, however…or, for some reason, the people were reluctant to speak of them. So she had to turn to Laroth for information. It wasn't that he did not give out trustworthy information, for Rogue had gone to him before to find out details about places or people and he had never been wrong. Yet Rogue did not like the idea of going back to the same person over and over again for information that is not necessarily supposed to be known. She was already hunted - and this only gave an easier way to track her down. Laroth would remember her…yet, a drunk at the bar would not. So she enjoyed hearing rumors from the local drunks.

Laroth was by no means a bulky man, yet he had enough presence to not be bothered by wandering bandits. He wore loose, brown breeches along with a loose, gray tunic. The sleeves covered very little of his arms, instead allowing his well-toned arms to show. In height, he was actually of smaller stature - only around 5'3". Yet he still held amazing authority…partially due to his facial features. He had a broad face with a large jaw that sat in its place decisively. He had rather small, black eyes, yet his nose and lips were slightly larger than usual. The hair he had matched the black in his eye and it grew to about ear-length. It lay on his head, seemingly uncombed, slightly curly. 

Rogue had laid her coat on the table, and now sat in just her black shirt and pants, along with her daggers and sword. Looking at Laroth, she finally spoke. "Have you heard anything about Mordor lately?"

Laroth shook his head and straightened himself up so he was no longer leaning. "That is something I have heard nothing of…at least of late. Yet I believe everything I know you have already heard."

Rogue sighed, frustrated. "That does not help me very much."

"Then you shall have to journey onwards blindly. Do not tell me you have not done that before…I know you have," he replied, laughing harshly.

Startled for a second, Rogue looked at Laroth with disbelief. She quickly recovered, however, and replied to him. "My journey?"

Laroth seemed to get impatient with this. "Yes, your journey. Do not tell me you are not on one, for I have heard of the meeting Lord Elrond called. I might not know exactly why you are on this journey, but I do know it had to do with Mordor. And if it has to do with Mordor, it has to do with Sauron."

"And you are to tell me that you know of a meeting yet nothing of Mordor?"

The man looked slightly dubious, then seemed to make up his mind. "There are reasons why I speak not of it."

Interested, Rogue replied quickly. "What has happened?"

"Nothing, nothing. Yet Mordor is definitely on the rise…and Gondor has risen its defense."

"Mordor has started attacking?"

"Not yet. But Gondor is ready for when the attacks start to come."

"Even if it is without a King?" Rogue asked, partially to herself.

Half-smiling, Laroth replied, "For now they will be alright. But I know they pray at least their Steward shall make it back to Gondor in time…"

Rogue sat quietly for several minutes, processing everything she just heard. So things had been happening. She had been under the impression that Mordor had been laying quiet, doing nothing…and that seems to be what most people in Elithir thought Mordor was doing. Rogue silently thanked the stars that she had been forced to come to Laroth for answers. He had given her everything, plus some, that she had been wanting to know.

Just then, horse could be heard prancing up to the house. Stopping at the front, a thud could be heard as a person jumped off the horse. Rogue looked over at the door that led outside just in time to see a middle-aged lady swing open the door. She was out of breath and seemed very frantic. She resembled Laroth in many ways….her dark eyes, her waist-length, straight, black hair…

Rogue recognized her as Calindra…Laroth's wife. She seemed to be in the 'spying' business along with Laroth, and Rogue knew much of the information Laroth gets is from his wife. 

Looking concerned, Laroth instantly addressed his wife. "What is wrong? What has happened?"

The lady took several large breaths, trying to regain normal flow of air to her lungs. "Two…Black Riders…."

Rogue became instantly alarmed. "Nazgûl?"

The lady nodded. She was slowly regaining her composure, and now seemed to have gotten her ideas put together to explain what had happened. "Two of them…a traveler spotted them. According to the man, they are about a day's ride from Elithir."

Laroth looked at Rogue quickly. "You and the Company must not stay in Elithir! This has been a peaceful town since its very first year…you must not bring war here." Although he seemed concerned, it was more for Elithir than Rogue, yet Rogue had expected nothing from him, so was not disappointed.

"Only two…that shan't be too hard to fend off…" Rogue thought aloud.

Calindra shook her head. "The man said there were two of them, yet he believed they had one or more Uruk-Hai following them, along with orcs."

Cursing, Rogue tried to figure out what to do. "It's too early, damn it. We're not ready to be attacked…"

Laroth looked at Rogue curiously. "And why not?"

"They are still more worried about talking about what has happened than worrying about what will happen…." Rogue looked at Calindra sharply. "Tell me, will we be able to out run this group?"

Again, Calindra shook her head. "From what the man said, you will not be able to. And if you do not wish to fight…well, you may either lie down and die or run and hide."

"Hide…." Rogue murmured to herself. She was lost in thought for several minutes, when suddenly she snapped out of it. "Moria!" But then the feeling of dread came over her once more…yet she tried to push it out of the way. There was no other way…

"Moria?" Calindra asked.

"The dwarves… they are still in the Mines, in good health, correct?" Rogue asked Calindra and Laroth, with an almost pleading look in her eyes. The feeling doom could not be thrown away and it stuck with her, yet she had to go through the Mines. She had to. Or die trying to outrun a small army….

Calindra nodded slowly, wondering what had gotten into Rogue. "I have not heard otherwise…"

"The dwarves would have sent word if something was wrong in Moria. Or they would have moved out…they would not have allowed themselves to be killed again, like last time…." Rogue spoke, mostly to reassure herself. Picking up her cloak, she walked to the door and turned around. "A day's ride from here?"

"You have until evening tomorrow before the Black Riders show," Calindra responded.

Rogue's eyes were distant, as though she were planning everything she had to do before she left Elithir. And indeed, she was trying to plan several things out…such as how she was going to tell the Company that they had to ride into Moria once more. She nodded to Laroth and Calindra in thanks for their services and opened the door, walking out into the freezing snow. She hastily walked towards the main road, trying to get to the pub as quick as possible. 

Even through the white perfection of the snow around her, Rogue still felt the dark shadows growing within her, and she dreaded what was to come. 

((A/N: I must make apologies for this chapter…I'm sorry if it's a bit short and bad…I was writing it very late at night so I could post it today! But please review…I love reviews…))


	16. Unexpected Arrival

A/N: Hmm…still don't own the Lord of the Rings…I can keep hoping, though….

I'm very sorry it took me so long to write another chapter…yes, I'm on Spring Break…but it seems as though I'm a bit busier than expected. :( I'm quite sorry…but I'll try to update a lot more, if that makes any of you feel any better! Hehe! Again, thanks to everybody for reading and reviewing my story!!!!! Keep the reviews coming! :) 

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Nathronoelei: Thanks for the review!! Moria, I decided, would be one of my 'adventure' places…hehe! Although I can't tell you what's going to happen in there…it definitely won't be the same as what happened in the Fellowship of the Ring. Thanks for liking the new characters…I'm not sure if they'll show up anymore in the story or not…we'll see! ::grin:: I sure do love Spring Break…I'm sleeping most of the time! Woohoo!!!! Your story is coming along great!

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ZChan: I'm quite sorry about you being stuck in that penname, hehe! I hope you can find a way to get back to your own penname soon! Thanks for still reading my story…I'm sorry it's been taking me so long to update. Thanks for liking where I'm going in the story! 

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kitsune: Ooh, looky! I new person to review! I love new reviewers…along with the old ones that keep coming back and reading more of my story. Anywho…thanks for liking Rogue!! And LOOK! Another person that wants her to get hooked up with Legolas…. ::grin:: Thanks for giving me such a great compliment on my writing skills…

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This chapter takes place the same day as Chapter 14, Chapter 13, and Chapter 15 just later in the day (evening…around 6:30 or 7:30…the sun's down)

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Chapter 16: Unexpected Arrival

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Do you remember me,

My love, nîn melethril, 

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When the darkness covers your eyes

Tírad i glawar

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Rogue walked quickly through the streets of Elithir. Small snowflakes gently hit the side of her face, instantly disappearing against her skin. The light snowfall gave Elithir a celestial look…glowing in white splendor, with the orange-red sunset glowing on the horizon.

But the girl was in too much haste to notice such minor things. Walking with small, quick steps, she kept her head up, looking straight at her destination. She had not put on her coat because of the hurry she was in, so it hung limply on her left arm by the crook of her elbow. The street had grown more crowded as night slowly came, and Rogue paid no attention to other people. So Rogue ended up narrowly missing many people and brushing shoulders with many more. Glares and insults were muttered when this happened, however, she took no notice and kept walking. 

As Rogue came to the _Whistling Lark_, she practically hopped up the stairs and flung open the door. Once again, the pub was filled with people, although many of the men had not been there long enough to be fully drunk yet. Rogue stepped into the dimly lit room, shaking her head to rid her hair of any straggling snowflakes. Running a hand through her hair, she gazed at the pub in front of her. She knew the Company had to be somewhere in here. She gave a small, sarcastic smile when she noticed them at the same table they had been sitting at during breakfast. Even the Hobbits were there…she supposed they had come back to the pub only an hour or two ago.

She hastily made her way over to the table, not watching out for the half-drunk men in her way. On her way to the table, she ran straight into a smallish-sized man that was holding a pitcher of ale, which was promptly spilled all over his tunic when Rogue ran into him. Not one drop landed on Rogue's garments, and so, without a word of apology, she walked on. 

As she came up to the table, Gandalf looked up and smiled. "Ah…nice to see you again, Rogue. We were wondering if you had left us."

"Which, of course, wouldn't have been a bad thing," Boromir added in.

Rogue shot a glare at Boromir, yet saved her retort for later. "What a surprise…to see any of you haven't moved an inch since this morning."

"Hey! I've moved. Plus, how would you know? You weren't even here!" Pippin spoke up.

Rogue laughed dryly and pulled over a chair from the table behind where Frodo was sitting. She sat down comfortably in the chair as she replied. "You are right that I was not here this morning, Master Took. Yet just because I was not here does not mean I do not know what is going on."

Pippin looked dubious, but did not wish to argue with the Lady Ranger. Instead, Strider replied to her. "If there is nothing to do, such as today, what wrong is there to not move?" he asked with a lazy grin spreading across his face.

Rogue rolled her eyes up to the ceiling in frustration. Then, looking back down at the Company, she changed the subject. "I met with some people that I know in Elithir…and I found out some rather interesting news."

"Rogue? Have friends? In Elithir?" Boromir asked, laughing.

Rogue sighed, annoyed. "I did not say they were friends. I said that I knew them. Learn the difference."

"I already know the difference, thank you." 

Gandalf noticed the rushed look in Rogue's eyes, a look that he hadn't seen in Rogue before. Although the girl was rather sarcastic and dry she did seem to stay calm. She seemed to know something that was important, yet the bickering between her and Boromir was hindering her from speaking it. Gandalf cleared his throat, stopping Boromir from anything he was going to say. "Now, Rogue, what is it that was so interesting?"

Rogue smiled, _almost_ appreciative of Gandalf. "There are two Black Riders behind us."

Frodo's eyes grew big in disbelief. "What?!"

"Only two? That shall not be too bad…" Boromir said.

"That is not all that is following us. Uruk-hai and a small army of orcs follow the Black Riders," Rogue continued.

"We can still fight them…it won't be that hard. We have fought armies such as that," said the Steward of Gondor.

Merry was obviously frightened. "But how could they had found us? We have no Ring that they are attracted to…"

Rogue sighed. "That is true, yet Black Riders also know how to track without the use of magic. It is almost impossible to travel without leaving a small trail, and that is what they have been following." Then she looked sharply at Boromir. "We will not fight them."

Becoming indignant, Boromir replied quickly. "And why not?"

"We are not ready."

"How are we not ready? We have already fought orcs…"

"That is not the point. Elithir does not deserve to be the place of a small war…and if we fight against Black Riders or Uruk-Hai, anywhere, we will be giving away our exact position. We can not do that yet in our journey. Believe me, son of Denethor, there will be plenty of fighting in the Company's future."

Joining in the conversation, Legolas questioned the Black Riders also. "Do the Nazgûl know we are here, in Elithir, for certain?"

Rogue shook her head. "No. They are merely following a trail…they know that they could have followed the wrong trail, or we might have already moved onwards. Yet they shall search the city from the roofs of the houses to the snow-covered grasses for us. And if we are found…there will be the fight that I wish to head off."

Aragorn seemed to be thinking, but now spoke up. "How do you suppose we not fight the Black Riders and Uruk-Hai and still live?"

Silence came for a few seconds, until Rogue finally spoke. "We run. We must."

Raising an eyebrow, Strider questioned further. "To where?"

"To the only place that might be a refuge….Moria."

Boromir had begun to sip on the hot cider sat in front of him when he heard the name 'Moria'. From his surprise, he started to sputter and cough on the cider. "Moria? Are you trying to kill us all?"

"I know that the Fellowship has not had the best….time there, yet we must seek the protection that it gives us. And the dwarves hospitality will be good…"

Gimli smiled broadly at Legolas. "You hear that? Someone who believes the dwarves will give good hospitality. And she is an elf herself."

"How do we even know the dwarves are still down there?" questioned a meek voice coming from Sam. 

"Yes…how do we know?" Merry agreed.

"We know because I have not heard anything different." Rogue answered.

"If you don't mind me saying so, that doesn't seem quite…safe," Legolas told her.

Rogue cringed inwardly. She already had doubts with going into Moria, and the questioning of the Fellowship did not help her. However, she stayed steadfast with her decision as she replied to the elf. "It's most likely the safest place we can go to right now. And I have no doubts that the dwarves are there…believe me, we will be safe." Rogue looked sternly at each member of the Company, not allowing them to know that she had lied when she said her last sentence. She _did_ have doubts…but that was not for them to know.

Gandalf nodded his head. "Your instincts will have to be trusted…and we shall go into Moria once again. Now," he continued, looking at Boromir, "no more arguing. When do wish to leave, Rogue?"

There it was again. The old wizard was helping her out. Rogue laughed to herself, realizing the Gandalf was going to be a much better asset than she had realized. "The Black Riders are thought to be here in the evening tomorrow…but I do not wish to leave early. We may eat a calm breakfast here, then leave at noon, or around that time."

Pippin grinned. "At least you understand the meaning of a good breakfast."

Rogue gave no response to Pippin, but rather looked outside the window that they sat next to. It was now pitch black outside with only a few small stars twinkling in the velvet sky. The small snowflakes had stopped falling, leaving only the snow on the ground to give off the glowing white color to the landscape. The number of people in the pub had grown also, letting the building become loud once more. Drunken men tried to walk, leaning against the wall when they found they could not. Groups of men, and a few women, sat at tables playing card games, while others just sat at the counter telling stories. 

Standing up, Rogue again addressed the group. "I'm going to sleep now…be ready to leave tomorrow." Without waiting to hear any replies, she made her way to the stairs, stepping over sleeping men on the ground, and staying away from a few men that seemed to be ready to get sick. 

As she climbed the creaking stairs, Aragorn stood also. "If we travel tomorrow, the best thing is to get some sleep tonight."

Gandalf also stood up. "Yes, yes, you are right. Sleep is always better if you have a bed to be in…and we won't have one of those when we begin to travel again!"

Murmuring their goodnights, the rest of the Fellowship followed suit and walked to the old stairs, making their ways to their rooms. It took only seconds for each one to be asleep for then night.

*~*

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She was on her back, unwillingly letting the burning heat sear her body as sweat beaded up on her forehead and trickled down her face. The fine, brown hair was now matted down, sticking to her face and neck. As she opened her eyes she saw the flames which engulfed her. They were the only source of light, however, and everywhere else was pure black…

She struggled against the invisible chains which held her in place, yet found the more she struggled, the harder it was for her to breath. The thought of crying out came to her mind, yet she dismissed it as quickly as it had come. No one was here, she knew…and if they were, no one would listen. She struggled again with her hands, trying to get them to move. Her chest suddenly constricted, and she gasped for air. Lying there for several minutes, she tried to breathe enough air, yet it was seemed constantly out of her reach. And the constriction eased up slightly, allowing the girl enough air to not pass out.

Again, she tried to wiggle her fingers or get some type of movement from her hands. As she tried with all her will to move her own hands, a thick, black liquid began to seep out of her skin on her hands. The liquid had the consistency of molasses, and moved about that slow also. It slowly covered her hands, leaving no skin left out. Then it moved onwards, and started seeping out of her skin on her legs and feet. Her torso was next, along with her neck. It slowly made its way up the neck, slowly coming closer to Rogue's head. She tried to move her head so the black ooze would not cover her, yet it was to no avail. Moving upwards, it covered her chin, her bottom lip, and then fully covered her mouth. Upwards it kept moving, but Rogue didn't pay any more attention to it. She was trying to breathe…but she couldn't. Slowly suffocating, her heart started to beat faster. She tried to scream, but the black ooze just fell into her mouth, choking her. 

And then blackness engulfed her vision.

*~*

Sunlight poured into the window of Rogue's room. Slowly opening her eyes, she blinked several times trying to adjust to the sunlight. She ran a nimble hand over her arms and legs, yet found them smooth and without any traces of the black ooze of her dream. Sighing quietly, she turned over to her side and got out of bed slowly. Having a nightmare when she slept was not uncommon…in fact, it was the only type of dream she ever had anymore. The perfect dreams of childhood could barely be remembered…the ones that spoke of crystal waters, glimmering fields, singing birds, and your long-lost love coming to take you away. Those dreams were gone…she hadn't had them since she was a small child. Now, she would much rather stay awake the whole night than deal with the dreams that haunted her.

Rogue slipped on her soft shoes then stood up. She straightened out her shirt and pants, flicking off any dirt that had gotten on them. When she traveled, she never brought a nightgown with her…there was no point. Grabbing a small comb that sat on her dresser, she quickly ran it through her hair. Then, grabbing her coat on the way, she walked out of her room and down to the pub below. 

It surprised her to find the whole Fellowship already down in the pub, eating breakfast. _I suppose I slept later than I thought, _Rouge thought to herself. Just like the morning before, Deran had cleaned up the pub, allowing it to become more of a "family place". Only a few people sat in here, eating a small bit of breakfast or reading a book that they found interesting. 

Rogue walked casually over to where the Company sat, which was the exact same place they had been the day before. As she came closer, she found there were ten chairs and ten breakfasts set. Nine, of course, were taken. Sitting down in the vacant seat next to Aragorn and Gandalf, she finally spoke. "Nice to see all of you were able to wake up on time."

"Hmph. It would be nice if you would actually wake up too," Boromir grumbled.

"You know, I would think that you just weren't a morning person, but then I know that this is how you act throughout the whole day," she retorted.

"At least I don't tell people what to do and then not do it myself."

"At least I've never been thought to be dead."

"But I'm sure there's been many a person to wish you dead."

"Yet there's even more people that wish that of you," Rogue said, and then began eating her breakfast.

Merry and Pippin were looking at each other, almost laughing. They found the quarrels between Boromir and Rogue rather funny…although they would never tell either one of them that. Aragorn shook his head at the stubbornness of the two people. That was the real reason for their quarreling he believed. 

"I trust you slept well," Gandalf said, trying to keep the peace once more.

"I suppose you can say that," Rogue replied, continuing to eat.

The Hobbits were, of course, already all done with their food. Now they sat around the table chattering between each other, with Legolas, Aragorn, and Boromir joining in occasionally.

Gimli, although he was still eating, seemed to still be impressed that Rogue found the dwarves to give good hospitality. "So you find the dwarves to be good hosts, do you?"

Rogue laughed the way she normally did, with no humor. "You can say that."

"Finally! Someone who has good sense." Gimli told her, and then continued eating.

After several minutes went by, all the Company was finished with breakfast except for Rogue, who was, however, almost done. They sat drinking the juice that was given for breakfast and talking amiably between themselves, rarely trying to get an answer out of Rogue. By now, they all knew it was impossible to do. 

Rogue lifted up her last forkful of food to her mouth, then drank half her juice to wash it down. She had not been eating in the most pleasant way…in fact, she had been more like shoveling food into her mouth. As she set the glass down, a huge sound vibrated throughout the town. All the glasses in the pub shook, and Rogue looked around quickly. The sound that had come seemed much like thunder…like a lightening bolt had just hit a few feet away. Yet the sky was clear and the sun shone brightly outside. Suddenly, almost all at once, everyone in the pub understood where the sound had come from. Not only had it sounded like thunder, but it also sounded like a large, thick, wooden door hitting, with amazing force, the side of an equally thick wall. Which could mean only one thing…an outsider had opened the gates. 


	17. The First Encounter

Disclaimer: I do not own tLoR and any characters and places associated with it. ::starts bawling tears::

A/N: Dang! It's a record…I went two weeks without writing anything. I'm really sorry…but I'm not going to lie to any of ya'll…all I did was sleep. Homework, a busy schedule…none of that was keeping me from writing. It was sleep. But I think I'm alright now, so hopefully I'll start writing regularly again. I hope I didn't lose any of my regular readers because I hadn't updated…::sniff::

This is a fight scene, and I'm sorry it isn't a good chapter. I'm bad at writing fight scenes….

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loony: Thanks for liking the chapter so much! Hmm…as for the ::grin:: next to the idea of another Legolas/Rogue supporter…it really means nothing. Really. I just put it there because I think it's funny to find how everybody is debating on who Rogue is going to end up with.

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ZChan: :) I'm so happy that someone likes Rogue so much!! I also find the incessant bickering hilarious…which is why I try to put it in there every once in a while. Pure seriousness can get so boring. Hehe…sorry about the cliffhanger! I love 'em…'always leave the reader wanting more'…that's what I like to live by, eh! Thanks for the great review!

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Nathronoelei: Hehe! :) I find it fun to split 'em up every once in a while. It gives all the characters a time in the spotlight. Hmm…so another Boromir/Rogue supporter? ::grin:: (see? Grins mean nothing.) Your points are valid and I will keep them in mind. ::roflmao:: Pippin and Merry…passing out from laughing too much….I'd hate to find out what they would give the couple for wedding presents. Thankies for reviewing! 

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Chapter 17: The First Encounter

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How long is it since  
The start of the storm  
How long is it  
From beginning to end

Lift your heart  
Walk through the storms  
Lift your heart!  
Go through the storms

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-"Storms in Africa", Enya

  
Rogue stood up quickly, her chair tumbling backwards behind her. She cursed under her breath as ran her slender left hand through her hair. It almost seemed as though she was at a loss for what to do…the entrance of the Black Riders had been so sudden. Turning around to find her chair, which had crashed into another chair behind it, she also found her long coat which she had laid on the back of it. She leaned down to grab it, and then in one swift move, she stood up and put the coat on her. 

She looked once more at the Company, her deep brown eyes finding Boromir. "Looks like you're going to find the fight that you were looking for."

Rogue ran her hands on top of her thighs, looking for what she knew was already missing. She had her three daggers strapped to her thigh, yet she had taken off the curved sword. Shaking her head at her own thoughtlessness, she walked over to the coat rack that stood by the door of the pub. It was there that her sword sat, still sheathed, waiting for the elven girl. She picked it up, strapping it on her, letting it rest on her right thigh. Walking quickly back over to the table, she grabbed the pack that lay by Sam's feet. 

She then walked over to the counter where Deran sat and threw the pack on the counter top. "Fill it with food…and anything else that you think we might need." 

The man seemed to be a bit bewildered, yet he started to do as he was told. 

Then she turned back to the group and walked briskly over to them. "We have to fight against them…but only until we get the chance to run. Once we get the chance, we have to run to Moria. Do you understand?"

Gandalf gave a quick nod, telling Rogue that he understood all too well.

Aragorn smiled slightly and chuckled as he spoke to Frodo. "This is only a small battle…there is no need for fear…" 

The King of Gondor responding to the fear that was evident in Frodo's eyes. The battles that had come from the quest of the One Ring were still all too alive in Frodo's mind.

Boromir grinned. "You can try to find comfort in the fact that the Nazgûl are not specifically after you any more."

Frodo gave a small, weak smile, trying to reassure everyone that he wasn't too afraid. Rogue watched Frodo curiously, noticing the Hobbit's reaction to the idea of battle. She knew it was not his fault that the idea of battle brought him fear…the same word had, in fact, brought the same fear to Rogue when she was younger. Compassion for the small Hobbit welled up inside of her, yet she pushed it back. Instead, she spoke to Boromir. "It would be good if you at least try to not get killed."

"Elf, there is no way under this Sun that a small battle such as this will kill me off," Boromir replied indignantly. 

Rogue replied almost absent-mindedly. "If that is what you wish to believe…but remember this: if you look dead to me, I will personally throw you over the side of the mountain…"

"You will--" Boromir started, yet was interrupted by the pub's door suddenly flying open.

The small stature of the black-haired Laroth walked quickly into the pub, letting the brisk wind from outside blow around the ankles of all who sat in the pub. Closing the door quickly, more for privacy than for warmth, he made his way quickly over to where Rogue stood, near the Fellowship.

Anger flared in Rogue's eyes, as she walked towards him to meet him halfway. 

"The Black Riders have entered the city earlier than expected…" Laroth started, his voice deep and demanding respect.

Rogue replied to him, her voice hard and merciless. "I've trusted the information that you've given me before, and you have never been wrong. Yet now, on something that actually has great importance, your information fails me. Why is this?"

"The man that Calindra encountered about the Black Riders must have miscalculated the distance away from Elithir they were…or the rate that they were traveling."

The elven girl nearly snarled at Laroth as she gave him a response. "That is your excuse for putting our lives in peril? _That_ is what you call an excuse?"

Now, Rogue's anger seemed to slowly spread to Laroth, until the man seemed to only nearly be able to hold it in. "The way you speak makes it seem like you believe we told you false information on purpose…"

Before, however, Rogue could reply to him, Aragorn pushed his chair out from under the table and stood up. He quickly walked over to the pair of quarreling people, knowing that they could not spend time fighting with each other when they could be fighting the Black Riders. "Silence, both of you! Whether or not you, " he said, looking at Rogue, "were told false information is not important. What is now important is that we live through this battle and make it to Moria before being attacked again. Do you agree with this?"

Rogue took a last piercing glare at Laroth, and then turned to Aragorn. Her voice was filled with a forced submission, with a tint of sarcasm in it. "You are right…they should be making it up to the pub soon."

Laroth nodded his head slightly to Aragorn. "Luck be with you…I give my regrets, but I can not help you in this battle…" 

Not waiting for a response. Laroth took small, quick steps to the pub's door, leaving for his home. He did not, however, close the door behind him. 

As Rogue began walking towards the door, she gave a low growl. "You should have let me slit his throat, Aragorn. He would not be missed."

She made it to the door, and stood in the doorway, leaning against the left side post, looking down the road. She quickly took note of the small army making its way up the road, walking quickly to where the Fellowship was. Assessing the army, she found around twenty orcs to be a part of the army, along with two Uruk-Hai, and two Nazgûl. 

Looking over her shoulders, she called over to the group. "They come…it will not be more than ten minutes before they are among us."

Taking slow, deliberate steps, she walked down the wooden steps of the pub. The sun shone brightly, making the ice crystals on the roof sparkle and the frozen leaves on the trees glistened beautifully. She stepped down to the snow, which must have been several inches thick by then, yet stayed on top of it. Walking out to the middle of the street, she waited for the rest of the group to join her, or fight against the army alone.

Of course, the Fellowship was following Rogue outside. Aragorn pulled out his sword out of its sheath, making sure it was ready for a fight. Boromir stood up, ready to follow Aragorn outside. Legolas grabbed the bow that he had on his back, notching it with an arrow. Gandalf stood up slowly, his long sword also by his side. The Hobbits, of course, had no swords, but had daggers. Frodo had put his on the table, yet now picked it up, ready to defend himself against the orcs. Sam walked over to Deran to retrieve his pack, which was waiting for him on the counter. After strapping that onto his back, he walked back towards the group.

Without saying a word, the group left the pub, joining Rogue on the road. The army was had made a lot of ground in the few minutes that it took the Fellowship to walk outside, and they were now only a few meters away. The Black Riders broke away from the rest of the army, staying in the back. The Uruk-Hai led the small army towards the Fellowship, quickly closing the gap between the two groups. 

And then the first arrow was let loose from the Uruk-Hai. It, luckily, missed Rogue narrowly. This seemed to be an initiation for the battle that was about to take place. For once the arrow was shot from an Uruk-Hai, Legolas quickly retaliated with arrows of his own. It took merely three arrows to kill one of the Uruk-Hai, one which penetrated its throat, but the rest of the orcs had started running towards the small group at full speed, screaming in a strange language.

The sound was almost unbearable, yet the Fellowship took no notice. Rogue stooped down to pick up the arrow that had been shot at her, grimly noticing what had been put on the tip of the arrow. She looked quickly over her shoulder at the rest of the Fellowship, quickly telling them of the threat the arrows posed. "Be careful of being cut by an arrow…they are poisoned…and even a slightly wound might prove fatal."

There was no time for responses, for the orcs were on them. Legolas was furiously shooting arrows at the orcs, yet they grew too close for him to shoot. So, instead, he drew his dagger, the silver glinting in the sunlight. He bore it down into an orc's throat, killing it instantly. 

A little bit away, Aragorn and Boromir had both drawn their perfectly polished swords. Orc after orc fell, but one seemed to have gotten passed the two swords. Although the orcs had daggers and other such sharp objects, they knew the arrows possessed the poison, making the job of killing people easier. An orc stood five feet behind Aragorn, expecting to be able to shoot down the King of Gondor before anyone knew he was there. A small body ran towards the orc, jumping up quickly. At the same time, the small creature's dagger was shoved into the orc's back. It toppled over, the notched arrow useless. Merry stood there, panting, and grabbed his dagger before he was attacked again. 

Gandalf was holding his own ground away from where the majority of the fighting was taking place. He used the length of his sword to his advantage…killing orcs before they got too close to him.

The other Uruk-Hai that had not been killed now made its way into the fighting grounds. It was not looking for anybody specifically, just trying whom to kill first. The small, curly-haired Hobbits that had kept the Ring two years ago, caught the creature's eye. It stood silently, raising the bow it kept by its side. From its quiver, it took one arrow and notched it. The Uruk-Hai started to aim the bow, getting Frodo perfectly in range.

Rogue and Boromir both noticed the Uruk-Hai at the same time, and, as it seemed, were about the same distance away from it. Running towards it, killing any orcs in her path, or dodging the few that she did not kill, she brought her sword closer to her. Lunging at the Uruk-Hai, her sword cleanly went through its middle. Boromir, not realizing that Rogue had already noticed that Frodo was in danger, started to run quickly over to the orc-creature. While Rogue was behind the Uruk-Hai, Boromir ended up in front of it, and a little to the left. Practically at the same time as Rogue's sword pierced the middle of the Uruk-Hai, Boromir's sword sliced through its neck. The head fell to the ground, sinking into the snow and leaving red streaks on the ground around it. Right before the Uruk-Hai was killed, it shot the arrow which had been aimed at Frodo. He had, however, lost his target because of being attacked by the two other people. As the Uruk-Hai's body fell lifelessly to the ground, the arrow flew through the air, landing in the skull of an orc. 

Rogue lifted an eyebrow when she noticed Boromir, but said nothing. Boromir went to where he had been fighting, not acknowledging Rogue. Instead of continuing to fight, however, Rogue hastily cleaned her sword on a dead orc's body, then sheathed it. She walked outside the main fighting area, looking for something. She noticed that all the Fellowship seemed to be in good health…which was good, since the next time they might have to rest would be Lothlorien. As she looked over the area, she slowly looked forward. Further bit away, about a meter behind the actual battle, the two Nazgûl sat on their black horses. 

That had been what Rogue was searching for. She walked quickly yet determinedly past the battle on the road and towards the two Black Riders. They noticed her movements towards them quickly and they both drew their swords out of the black sheaths. Then they encouraged their horses forward, and started walking toward Rogue as she was walking towards them. The stopped after they had walked about halfway, with Rogue stopping a few feet in front of them. 

Since they had walked closer, the Black Riders were now a lot closer to the battle, and the Fellowship now noticed them. However, there were still many orcs left, and they did not worry about attacking the Black Riders.

The Nazgûl brought their swords until they were about in front of their face, allowing the sun to bounce off of the blackened silver. As they seemed to be making a move to attack Rogue, she drew her own sword from its sheath. It's curved blade ended in a sharp tip, yet there was almost no evidence of orc blood on the silver. Rogue stood her ground, yet the Black Riders did nothing. After a few moments, they backed up and lowered their swords. Rogue stayed still, not wanting to risk being attacked by the Black Riders. 

However, as the Black Riders began to move away, the remaining orcs, which was only around half, noticed this. They also began to retreat, leaving the Fellowship slightly confused. However, Rogue took no time trying to figure everything out. She instead sheathed her sword, took two steps backwards, and ran the rest of the way to the group. 

"Leave…now!"

The Hobbits seemed to be bewildered, yet the larger folk had been expecting this. Rogue was running to the back wall of the city, where there was an ill-used pathway to the outside. The group came to the wall after only a few minutes, yet still had to follow Rogue a bit more. She was now walking fast in front of the wall, towards her left. Strangely, there was a huge berry bush that was planted next to the wall. 

"This is the way out of the city…there is a hole in the wall behind the bush."

Gandalf nodded. "And do you know the way to Moria from out there?"

Panting, Rogue quickly responded. "Yes, yes…of course. But once you're on the outside, just keep running. I would not be surprised to find the Black Riders trying to continue tracking us…"

"You talk as though you will not be with us…" Aragorn stated.

"How amazing for you to notice that. I'm not going to be…but I will only be a few moments behind all of you."

"Are we going to try and get to Moria, or are we just going to sit here and discuss how we are going to get there?" Pippin asked.

Rogue gave a surprising grin. "We're going to try and get there." She then took off running in the direction of the stables. While she ran to finish whatever her business was, Gandalf had already made it through the bush and Frodo was now climbing through.


	18. The Journey to Moria

Disclaimer: I do not own tLoR or any of the characters. ::sniff::

Looky, looky! Only three days since my last update!! I'm getting better…now, let's see if I can update tomorrow!! Woohoo!!

If you are reading this: _please, please, please _review me!! I'll love you lots!! :D

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saige: A new reader? ::grin:: Alright!! Thanks for reading my story…and thank you for thinking I'm a good writer…and that I put detail in my story!! And, look! You're a R/L supporter…

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Nathronoelei: Ha! Well-written fight scenes…I suck at writing fight scenes! Are you kidding?? Hmm…why _did_ the Nazgûl back off when Rogue confronted them? ::innocent face::

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Kitsune: Oh, goody! Does this mean you're a regular reader? You reviewed my story again!! ::grin:: And…another R/L supporter? LOL! I think you guys are starting to outnumber the R/B supporters…and **thanks** for liking Rogue and her personality!

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Zeech: Wait, since when did you change your penname? Ah well, it doesn't matter. So you liked my battle scene, too? You're crazy…I personally think I'm horrible at those things. And I'm glad you like (and noticed) the plot development…and, hmm…Rogue being subjected to orcs? ::resisting urge to tell the whole plot:: I guess you'll just have to read on, eh?

Chapter 18: Journey to Moria

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One day, one night, one moment,

my dreams could be, tomorrow. 

One step, one fall, one falter,

east or west, over earth or by ocean.

One way to be my journey,

this way could be my Book of Days.

**-"Book of Days", Enya**

Rogue ran towards the small barn behind the pub, ever watchful for any stray orcs that might be lurking behind buildings. There were, of course, none and she made it to the stables without incident. 

She quickly swung open the waist-high door that led into the barn and opened the first stable on her right. Bill was tied into this pen by a long rope cord but was by no means constricted. His holding pen, and all the others, were quite large…enough for a regular sized horse to lay down and still have two to three feet on each side. Bill looked at Rogue expectantly and pawed the ground with his right foot a few times. She smiled slightly as she nimbly untied the knot that held Bill hostage to the rope. It took only a few seconds and the rope slid off of Bill's neck where it had been tied loosely. 

Rogue guided Bill out of his pen and into the main part of the stable. She then opened the second pen on her right, where her horse was being held. She chuckled as she saw her horse, which she had named Ashaü, had been sleeping. He woke right away when he heard his door being opened, and almost reared up in delight as he saw Rogue. 

"And I am glad to see you, friend," Rogue murmured to her horse as she stroked his mane. As she did this, she worked at the knot that held Ashaü in his pen, just as she had with Bill. The stable hand had tied the knots loosely and so it took only seconds for the rope to fall limply to the ground. Sliding her hand to Ashaü's back, she took hold of her bow and carefully untied it from the horse. She grabbed it gently and tied it onto her back, much like how Legolas had his, over her coat. The quiver also was taken from Ashaü's back and tied to her own and then she took him outside of the pen. Rogue took hold of both horses and led them outside.

The mad screams of the orcs could still be heard, but it seemed as though they were not trying to track down the Fellowship. Rogue nodded to herself; she had expected as much. She had also expected that the Black Riders would not quite wish to fight her yet….

Rogue was snapped out of thinking by Bill's small neigh as he pawed the ground. "Neither of you can come into Moria with us, so you must go. Now go home!" Rogue whispered to the two riding animals as she let go. It took no more than those words for Ashaü to be off an running, with Bill galloping as fast as he could behind him. 

Rogue stood only a second watching the two animals run off. Their hoof prints stood out amazing well against the white floor of the earth….

She turned around and started running towards the hole in the wall. It took her only a few minutes to make it to the small plant. She stood before the small shrub, now leafless from winter, and then went down to her knees and pushed away the spiny branches. The hole seemed to have grown smaller since the last time she had used it…yet, thinking back, the last time she had used it was over one hundred years ago. 

There was still, however, plenty of room for her to make it through. As she slipped her feet out from under the shrub and onto the outside, she lay on the ground, stomach down. The small skirmish had worn her out, and she closed her eyes for a few seconds. The cold firmness of the ground beneath her felt wonderful against her warm body, yet she enjoyed it only a few seconds. Pushing herself up with her arms and then jumping back to her feet, she started running once more. 

She ran through the trees that were void of any type of life, looking for the Fellowship. She shook her head and chuckled a little bit. They were further along than she had expected them to be…she had underestimated them again. As she ran, she began to wonder whether she had already missed them, or they had gone in the wrong direction. But before she could stop and start to search the woods around her, she caught sight of the small group trekking through the snow and forest. 

Putting on a burst of speed, she caught up with them once more. 

"We can walk now," she told them.

As they all slowed down to a walk, Boromir laughed as Rogue passed him to go to the front of the line. "You went back to get your bow…which you can not even use?"

"This bow has more meaning than you would ever know," Rogue growled back at him. 

"Although we might be able to walk now, I believe it would still be safer to _not_ talk at this time," Gandalf intervened.

Although it was not his nature, Boromir did not retort. He instead continued walking on, yet muttered a few incoherent words. Rogue ignored them, knowing that Gandalf was right. The orcs might not to tracking them, yet if they found the Fellowship they would more than willingly fight.

"You went back to the stables?" Sam asked in a small voice. 

At first Rogue did not even realize he was talking to her. It took a few seconds to register with her that he had asked her a question, and even that he had talked. Looking down, she found he had made it to the front of the line and was now walking quickly next to Rogue. 

Rogue nodded. "Yes, that was where I went." 

"Where's Bill?"

"I untied him from his pen and let him go. Just like Ashaü."

"Ashaü?" Aragorn asked. He had been listening quietly in, and it almost surprised Rogue to find him talking.

"My horse…." Rogue started.

"You let them go? But…what if the orcs get them?" Sam asked, worried.

Rogue smiled and chuckled. "You needn't worry about that….Bill will be fine. Ashaü will make sure of that."

"You have an awful lot of confidence in your horse," Boromir laughed.

Without looking back, Rogue coldly called back to him. "I believe we were not supposed to be talking. Now, do I need to explain to you what that means?"

Once again, the Fellowship was muted. Sam fell back into the middle of the line, near Frodo, Merry, and Pippin. 

They all walked quickly, following the direction of Rogue. Every once in while Boromir would mutter something about the way they were going, or that he felt they were going in circles. Rogue ended up just ignoring him, talking only slightly to the Hobbits or sometimes Gandalf. 

By the end of the first day, a small sprinkling of snow began to fall and the Fellowship made camp. It was, of course, a miserable evening without a fire. As the darkness enveloped the surrounding area, the group fell asleep silently, with the soft rustle of the wind singing to them. Rogue became uneasy and slept only slightly through the whole night, and staying completely alert during her watch. 

The night passed all too quickly and another day came. The sun shone brightly in a golden orange, yet it did nothing to melt any of the snow. The winds within the forest whipped around the trees and pushed against the Fellowship as they made their way towards Moria. 

Had they taken the way they had come, it would have taken a week or more to get to the Mines. As it so happened, though, the Fellowship ended up taking another path that led to the same place. From where they were, it would take them only a week or less to reach Moria. 

They continued to their destination, the days passed quickly. The further they traveled, the more the group started to quietly talk within themselves. It seemed that Hobbits could not go more than two days without starting a conversation, especially one about food. Rogue rarely joined in on these things, as usual, and stayed at the front of the line. A few times she had thought she had heard orcs, and she had, yet they were far enough away they were of no threat to the Fellowship.

Each night Rogue became more restless, and when she did drift off to sleep, terrifying dreams filled her head. Many a morning she woke and could not remember whether the dream happened or whether it was all in her head. Her condition did not go unnoticed, especially by Legolas. 

Yet this did not stop the journey from continuing, and as the start of a new week came to pass, the Fellowship made it to the entranceway of Moria.

Winter had made its way to Moria also, and the trees and grass that once stood around the gate was now brown and brittle. The lake, however, strangely did not freeze over such as the other lakes had done. As the Fellowship carefully walked around the lake and towards the looming door, Boromir leaned down and whispered to Merry and Pippin.

"_Don't_ skip rocks into the lakes this time."

Legolas chuckled. "That one amusement last time caused the fate of our journey to be changed...I remember that well."

Legolas settled down in a tree near the door, while Aragorn sat leaning against the wall near the door. Gandalf leaned against the tree in which Legolas lounged in, sitting on a large rock. Boromir paced, watching the two Hobbits quite carefully, while Merry and Pippin looked at the lake, resisting the urge to see who could skip rocks the furthest. Gimli stood with his axe, waiting to see his cousins once more. Sam sat on the ground looking through the pack that Deran had filled for them. There was still plenty of food for the group…enough for a few more days. Frodo stood, looking at the sky, watching as the clouds silently rolled by.

Rogue stood in front of the doorway, waiting for nightfall. They had reached the spot only an hour before nightfall, and now it was only a few minutes until the night fully covered the area. As the sun slowly slid down behind the horizon, stars appeared magically in the blackened sky. Rogue sighed impatiently, waiting for the moon to shine. 

Gimli grunted. "It will be our luck if there is not a moon out tonight."

Legolas chuckled at his friend. "I believe it would be even worse if the dwarves had changed the riddle upon the door without anyone knowing….and _then_ we could not get into the Mines."

Gimli and Legolas continued to casually speak of such things, Rogue, Aragorn, and Gandalf listening in inquisitively. As this happened, moonlight slowly entered the area that the Fellowship was sitting in. Creeping slowly, it finally reached where the door should be. The pure white light covered the whole stone wall and brilliant white lines outlined the door and the engravings. Nothing had changed….

The riddle sat at the top of the door, silently taunting anyone who might wish to go into the Mines. _Speak, friend, and enter._

Rogue smiled mirthlessly, glad to find the dwarves had not changed the riddle. "_Mellon!_" She said, her voice powerful and commanding. The elvish word rolled off her tongue like a small raindrop fell of a plant's leaf effortlessly. The single word was almost musical and delightful, yet, since it was from Rogue, was cold and powerful at the same time. 

Her voice itself attracted the attention of the Fellowship, making Gimli stop his sentence midway. The stone door slowly opened, the sound of rock grating against rock ringing in everyone's ears. And then the door stood, fully opened, allowing the dim darkness of the Mines to be accessed by the Fellowship. Moonlight swept into the large room, making some of the dark shadows disappear. 

Gandalf smiled and nodded. "We are already having better luck than we did last time we were here."


	19. The Warning Letter

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Disclaimer: I don't own LotR…dang. I really wish I did, though.

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Author's Note: Looky at this!! The story's still the same, but I changed the summary. Why? I don't know…I was bored. ::grin:: Anywho…I wasn't able to update Tuesday, but look at this! It's Wednesday and I'm updating!! That's only one full day without any new chapters…that should make you guys proud of me and rather happy. I'm sorry if this chapter was sort of short….

I love all ya'll for reading my story and being such long-time readers…and giving me such wonderful reviews!!! 

As always, if you're reading my story, **_please_** review. I'm one of those strange people that live off of reviews….

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Zeech: Oh, is that why you had the sudden change of pen name! Lol….I'm glad you're enjoying the story so much! :D And that you like the Rogue/Boromir bickering…I love writing it. As for the question 'does Boromir think Rogue is pretty?' The answer is….well, I think you'll just have to keep reading. You'll find out one of these days. I hope I didn't make you wait too long for this chapter…I'm actually starting to do good on updating!! Woohoo!

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Sprite: Is this another new reader?? ALRIGHT! Woohoo!! I can't thank you enough for reading and reviewing my story….and as for wanting to see the dwarves…here! ::pulls Gimli over:: Have a blast. ::grin::

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Nathronoelei: Here, here! Don't get too mad at me!! I wrote another chapter! I didn't leave you hanging! Oh wait…yes I did. Another cliffhanger. ::fake 'I'm sorry' face:: ::grin:: I sure am hoping that I will be able to throw all of you guys for a loop. But, of course, you'll probably figure it out way before I write about it…as for the plot…ah, well, you'll see as the story goes on, eh!? And for the R/L supporters…I don't know. I'm not taking sides either way. It's fun to hear the 'arguments'…especially when Rogue's 'love life-fate' has already been chosen. As for the MiB…well, you'll see. (Getting annoyed of me saying that yet? ::grin::) As for slipping a few hints..hmm…well, she herself _might_ slip a few hints, and, of course, I might do as well also. One thing you can look at is the lyrics/poems I have on top of each chapter. Starting last chapter and now continuing until the end of the book, I'm using lyrics that have a meaning in the story. They might be painfully obvious **why** I choose some, but others, like today's have another meaning. Now…on to the next reviewer…

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mithrildragon: Thanks for reviewing! ::grin:: This makes me so happy to have another new reader!! I hope you keep reading…and thanks for liking Rogue! I tried to put 'character' into her…and I'll put you on the list of R/L supporters! Hehe!

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saige: Woohoo! Does this mean you're a regular reader? ::grin:: Thanks for the review!!

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Chapter 19: The Warning Letter

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Welcome to the fallout

Welcome to resistance

The tension is here

Between who you are and who could be

Between how it is and how it should be.

**-"Dare You to Move", Switchfoot**

The Fellowship walked hesitantly into the Mines, expecting to be greeted by an array of dead dwarves. What they got instead was a dark, empty room welcoming them into the dwarven Mines.

"Well at least it is not a tomb this time," Boromir muttered. 

"I think what is more important is that we will not be faced with the question of goblins," Aragorn replied to Boromir, stifling, at the same time, the indignant Gimli. 

"Perhaps an axe would teach you to--" Gimli said under his breath, directing the statement toward Boromir.

"Let's keep moving, shall we?" Gandalf cut in.

Aragorn smiled at the old wizard's amazing way at stopping petty quarrels between members of the Fellowship. Even though they were all now friends, even friends could get hot tempers between each other.

The Fellowship, however, kept talking--just not insulting, on purpose, each other. The room was strangely quiet…no sounds came from further down in the Mines, nor any came from the direction of the main food hall. Aragorn shrugged this off, knowing it was just the memories of the previous trip to Moria that made him feel as though something was wrong.

He was snapped quickly back to reality from the recesses of his mind when Rogue stumbled. It was not the fact that she had stumbled that made him find this strange, but the fact that she tripped on no pebble or stone. She just…tripped. Now she stood still, her head bowed slightly with both her hands entangled within her hair. Her eyes were closed and her breathing seemed to become laborious. It was as if a sudden terrible headache or pain had been washed upon her… 

Rogue stood only a few feet from where the rest of the group walked on, yet because of the merry chatter, the rest of the group did not notice Rogue. Aragorn looked, concerned, at Gandalf, looking for an answer. However, the wizard held no answer and seemed concerned as well. Looking around to the rest of the group, he found relief to see that his old friend Leoglas had also noticed Rogue. As he walked by the girl, he put a gentle hand on her shoulder, waking her of whatever painful trance she had been in. 

Taking a sharp breath, he forced herself to regain normal breathing, and slowly opened her eyes. Her pupils were somewhat dilated, but that did not seem to bother her any as she removed her hands from her hair. 

Shaking her head to allow her hair to cascade around her shoulders, she straightened her back and slowly began to follow the Fellowship. Legolas had, intelligently, continued to walk onwards, leaving Rogue to travel behind the group. It was obvious she wanted no unneeded attention. 

Their footsteps resounded within the vast room that they were walking in. Rogue, like everyone else, was relieved to find no dead dwarves within the Mines. Yet she had noticed the strange quiet that sat heavily in the air around the group, yet tried to shrug it off.

Gandalf, leading the way, walked up a small set of stairs that led out of the front room and into the next 'level' of the mines. Boromir, now near the front of the line, followed him up the small stairs, with the rest of the line following. Rogue walked a few feet behind Legolas, who was at the end this time. 

Her hand kept rubbing against the daggers that she kept strapped against her right thigh, trying to keep her mind awake and alert. But it kept slipping into the mindless void in which she felt nothing, said nothing, knew nothing…

She nearly ran into Leoglas as she was suddenly pulled from her strange daydream. The Fellowship was now surrounding something…something that was at the lying at the top of the stairs.

"Holy Valar…what has happened?" Boromir breathed.

"Where are the dwarves?" Gimli asked gruffly.

Then Sam's meek voice spoke up. "Are goblins here again?"

Rogue walked towards the group, but could not make out what they were looking at. It was something dark, sprawled lifeless on the floor. Legolas walked from behind everyone to get a closer look at the object, pushing gently by Frodo and Merry. Kneeling down, Legolas took hold of an arrow that had pierced the fallen figure, pulling it swiftly out of the dead body. Holding it up to get slightly better light, he quickly examined the arrow to find where it had come from.

"An orc arrow," he said grimly.

As the silver tipped arrow was being held up, a small piece of light caught hold of the arrowhead and showed a small trace of gold design to be mixed in with the silver. Rogue's eyes grew large as recognition dawned within her. Pushing roughly through Boromir and Aragorn, she grabbed the arrow from Legolas. 

"It was a Uruk-Hai arrow…"

"An Uruk-Hai's arrow look no different than an orc's…" Legolas started.

"Some do…" Rogue kneeled down to the body, uttering a string of curses when she noticed whom it was. 

Boromir raised an eyebrow, yet kept his silence, as did the rest of the Fellowship.

The figure that lay sprawled out on the floor was female, dressed in male riding pants. They were of cowhide, with the natural tan color still on the cloth. The shirt she wore, however, was no male tunic. It fell down to her upper thighs, with only the slight mention of sleeves upon her shoulders. The base color of the fabric seemed to be black…yet had a strange silver sewed into it, creating swirling patterns around the girl's upper body. Like Rogue, she wore supple, black elven shoes, created for her light feet to carry her far.

The girl herself was dark skinned and had thick, black hair which ran from her head to her lower back. It was stunningly straight and created a deathly halo around the girl's face as she lay dead on the stone floor. Her face itself held a strange beauty…it had become full of worries and cares throughout the years of her life, yet she did not seem old enough to have experienced such traumatic thing. Although she was of the Big People, her face seemed to have a smooth perfection, and her eyes were deep, swirling pools of blackness. Her nose protruded a bit further than most women's did, but it complemented her face well…along with her thin, delicate lips. Looking her over, it seemed that she was no more than 30 years old.

The girl's eyes were still open in shock from the deathly shot of the Uruk-Hai. Her dagger had been drawn, making it seem as though she had tried to fight. Yet it had done her no good. 

Rogue sighed, murmuring a small blessing in elvish, and gently glided her hand over the girl's face, letting the girl's eyelids fall closed. Getting ready to stand up, a white glimmer caught Rogue's eye. A folded piece of paper sat silently by the girl's midriff…where it was mostly likely tucked into the cuff of her pants to keep safe. Rogue moved her hand to pick up the white, unnaturally glimmering paper, and held it in her hands for a few seconds. 

Running her fingers along the edge, she made up her mind to open it. The rest of the Fellowship was forgotten as she slowly opened the letter, only to find it addressed to none other than herself.

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Rogue-

Time is short as I write this letter. 'Tis not because of fear of my death, but for the fear of your death…and of the Fellowship's. 'Twas no more than two nights ago that we felt the Shadow Creature, the one you call Saroshder, leave Mordor. Two of my people tried to track it, yet lost it soon after the fourth day. I can not tell you exactly where it was traveling, for that I do not know. Yet I believe it was traveling to the Mines of Moria, but the reason for it's traveling is unknown. I have already sent out a messenger to tell the Dwarves to leave their Mines, lest they die within like their predecessors. I am sending Tielle with this letter to you…I pray she finds you in time. Do not go into the Mines or the journey might be brought quickly to an end…and all hope gone.

Ceav 

Rogue looked blankly at the letter after she had read it, trying to quickly figure out how to get the Company out of danger. As she opened her mouth to tell the group to walk back outside, a loud thunderous sound vibrated within the Mines. The left stone door had crashed in, closing that side from anyone leaving. Only a second later, the second door crashed in, grating between the rocks on either side of it, sealing off the entrance. Darkness filled the rooms and tunnels as dread slowly sank in. They were trapped.


	20. Talks of Danger

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Disclaimer: LotR is not mine…only Rouge and the other random characters that you haven't ever heard about are mine. ::grin::

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Author's Note: I apologize for not updating sooner…sleep, school work, and color guard all have to come first before I can write more of my story. Sorry!! :) Thanks to all the great reviews…and I hope all of you guys keep reading!!

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Zeech: hehe! I can't help it….I love cliffhangers!! I'm sorry!! And I'm sorry that this chapter didn't get out sooner!! ::grin:: But thanks for still reading!

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Falcyn Nathronoelei: Cruel? I think not. I just think you're upset because you don't know everything that's going to happen in the story yet. ::grin:: Anyhoo…yep, you'll have to wait and see!! But you gotta love the lyrics…

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Sprite: Hmm…settle for the elves, eh?

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Kiara: Thanks for reading! :) I love new readers…and old ones…and pretty much anybody who reads my stories even if they think my stories are crap….

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Mithrildragon: Thanks for still reading!! ::grin:: And for the headaches thing…well, don't worry the reason for that'll be coming up in just a chapter or two…or three. But not too long. ::grin::

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Noname: Thanks for checking out my story!! And thanks for liking Rogue!

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Saige: Stopped writing? Hah! I think not. What are you? Crazy? ::grin::

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Misti M.: Thanks for the e-mail…and thanks for hosting me on your site!! (For all ya'll that want to know what it is….it's: http://www.angelfire.com/wizard/elfprince/main.html) 

Woohoo!! I got to the 60 reviews bench mark!! Next up, 70 or more reviews!! ::grin:: (hint, hint)

Again, if you are reading my story, **_please_** review it, send me an e-mail or do something to let me know if you like it or hate it!! :)

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Chapter 20: Talks of Danger

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And now the angry morning  
Gives the early signs of warning  
You must face alone the plans you make  
Decisions they will try to break

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-"Back Door Man", Sarah McLachlan

  
Pippin looked at Rogue nervously. "Was _that _goblins?"

"Where are the dwarves?" Gimli growled.

"We're going to die, aren't we?" Sam moaned.

Rogue slowly stood up, brushing her dark hair out of her face. Relaxing her hand, she let the letter gently fall to the ground, landing on Tielle's stomach. She turned her head, looking at where the opening of the caves once was, then stepped over the dead body so she was once again the leader of the small group. 

"That was not goblins, Master Took," she told the Hobbit as she continued to walk onwards into the caves.

The Fellowship exchanged glances before walking after Rouge, walking over and around the dead girl's body. Rouge did not, however, wait for them to catch up with her, and was walking hastily onwards through the darkness, her eyes darting from side to side trying to catch any strange shadows.

"We're just going to walk further into the mines, after we have found a dead girl, and no sign of the dwarves?" Boromir asked loudly. 

Rogue now stopped, allowing the group to catch up to her. As she waited, she spoke. "Unless you are proposing that you open the stone doors with your strength, which I am quite sure you do not have enough of, then yes, we walk onwards."

Boromir shook his head, knowing the girl was not going to willingly give up any information she might have.

As the group caught up with the elven girl, she started walking forwards once more. It was obvious that she was tense…from whatever it was that she read in the letter. Her walk was casual yet fast, but her body was ready for a fight. 

Gandalf took up walking next to Rogue, letting an orb of light top his staff. The light was well appreciated as the group traveled further into the caves….all means of light had been put out and they were not yet near the fires of Moria.

Aragorn finally spoke, his voice startling everyone from the trance-like state that the had put them in. "What was it that you read in the letter?"

"Something that might have changed the fate of this journey…" Rogue replied simply.

"If we are in danger, do you not suppose you should tell everyone? I would at least like to know how I am going to die." Boromir prodded Rogue.

Silence came over the group again, their footsteps softly thumping against the cold, stone floor. And then, almost suddenly Rogue spoke - reluctantly. "Very well…how much is it that you wish to know?"

"None!" Sam said quickly, almost shouting.

"Everything…" Boromir replied at the same time Sam spoke. 

Their reactions caused Rogue a grin…yet with her back towards everyone, they saw nothing of her amusement. 

Gandalf lifted a gray eyebrow. "And how much is it that you know?"

"More than many people could imagine." The Elf's voice spoke softly.

"The beginning is always a good place if you wish to tell someone something…" Legolas pitched in.

Rogue gave let a small smile appear on her face, one that only the shadows could see. "Well then, that _would_ be a good place to start, wouldn't it? But if that is the case…the problem starts here- what is the beginning…and what is the end? Or has it been that there has never been a beginning, but merely a series of ends which one can never escape "

Boromir let out a small, frustrated growl. "Are you saying that there has been no beginning to this problem that we are up against? That is impossible…" 

The girl shook her head. "You don't understand…but I wouldn't expect you to. Everything isn't as simple as you want to make them, Boromir."

"A series of ends?" Legolas inquired, wondering what Rogue meant of her last statement.

"It will become clear later. For now, they're not important," Rogue answered.

"It is important, however, for us to know what we might encounter within the Mines," Gandalf started.

Rogue sighed, finally submitting into telling the Fellowship of the threat. "Do you remember me speaking of the Saroshder?"

Nodding silently, the Fellowship (even Sam) listened intently. 

"It was staying in Mordor - for one reason or another - but it began traveling towards the Mines several nights ago."

"How do you know this?" asked Gandalf.

"A few people that I know of have been watching Mordor…they sent trackers after Saroshder to see where it was moving to, but they lost its trail after a few days. They think that it was moving to Moria, though…"

"And the dwarves?" Gimli spoke up suddenly.

Rogue chuckled slightly at Gimli's persistence. "A runner was sent to the Mines to warn the Dwarves…I am assuming they made it out. After a runner was sent to the dwarves, a runner was sent to find me to warn me of the danger Moria was possessing."

"The girl…?" Frodo questioned hesitantly.

"Yes, she was the runner. I suppose she went through Moria knowing it was the fastest way through the mountains and assumed it was still safe…."

"What of the Uruk-Hai arrow that killed her, then?" Boromir joined in with the questioning.

"It would not be surprising to find that Saroshder moved with several Uruk-Hai for extra protection…although I believe they would all be cleared out of Moria by now…"

Then, Aragorn finally spoke up. "And what does this… Saroshder…look like?" 

However, for this question, Rogue stayed quiet. It was almost like Rogue had suddenly stopped answering questions, for now no one spoke. An eerie silence settled over them, broken only by the soft footsteps created by their feet touching the stone floor and the wisps of breath that escaped the Fellowship's mouths.

It seemed like only moments passed when Rogue led them into the very same cavern that Gandalf had forgotten about the first time through the Mines. They slowly filed into the cavern, with every soft sound that they emitted resounding off the walls. The stone floor that the Company stood on gave way to a steep cliff a fair ways away from where they were standing. The cliff led to a stone floor that seemed like yard below where they stood, although the darkness that lived within the Mines made it hard for much to be seen.

Several doorways led to different parts of the Mines, yet only one would lead the Fellowship straight out of Moria. Yet even with the maze of doorways that had confused the Fellowship the first time they came to the Mines, there was no doubt of which door to take. Not only did Rogue remember this cavern well, but the rest of the Company had remembered also. 

And so, they walked down a narrow passage, lighted only by Gandalf's staff. After several minutes of walking in almost pure blackness, the group finally came to another cavern. Doorways lined the walls, and the widened walkway seemed to go on forever. Pillars of stone supported the ground that served as a roof for the Mines, spaced perfectly in between each other. Looking around for only a second, Rogue walked into the room that held the tomb of Balin. 

The others followed silently, not trying to question the reasoning behind the girl's moves. As the entered the room, Rogue immediately began to look around the dark crevices of the room, saying nothing.

The room itself seemed to have been worked on since the last time the Fellowship had seen it. Balin's tomb was still present, but the dwarf bodies had disappeared, along with a new, oak door to replace the old one that had been used as a blockade against the onslaught of orc arrows. As in the rest of the Mines, darkness crept into the room, showering the corners with mystery. There was almost nothing left in the room, save a few chairs and a table.

As Rogue began to walk back towards the group from the opposite side of the room, Merry was looking around the room himself. Looking down, he saw something interesting that seemed to have been left. Left for a reason or just forgotten, he couldn't be quiet sure, but it was there. Bending his already short legs, he picked up a piece of parchment with writing on it. Standing up, his eyes moved left to right as he began to read the writing.

Walking back over to the group, he finally spoke. "This might answer your question about the dwarves…"

Aragorn bent down the take the parchment as Merry handed it to him, then stood up. Quickly reading it over, he nodded his head. "It seems like it answer that exact question."

"Well, then, get on with it…read it!" Gimli grunted.

Straightening out the edges of parchment, Aragorn began to read.

__

"We were told the Shadow Creature was moving towards Moria and will be here in less than a week. When dawn arrives, we will move to a place that does not seem as dangerous…." 

Aragorn trailed off, trying to decipher the rest of the text. Shaking his head, he gave up. "The rest of the wording has faded off. That's as far as I can read."

Gandalf nodded. "But that is as much as we need to know. Now, Gimli, we know the dwarves are safe."

Gimli nodded slightly, then began to look around the room skeptically. Frodo, however, was sitting at the edge of the tomb, his hands on his knees as his eyes began to slowly close. 

Noticing this, Rogue finally broke her silence. "We sleep here for now…"

"We're going to sleep in Moria?!" Boromir exclaimed, looking at Rogue as though she had finally lost any sanity she had.

"We have traveled far and slept far less than we should have. I'll take first watch," Rogue replied shortly. Her voice held a tint of edge to it, directing it towards Boromir.

"Very well." Gandalf murmured as he walked towards a wooden chair. As he leaned back in the chair, the chair let out a soft creak, but silenced after a few moments.

Frodo laid down in the spot he was at, half curling himself into a small ball. Sam leaned against the other corner of the tomb, trying forcing himself to close his eyes. But just as soon as his eyes closed, his mind wandered into sleep, relaxing his body and letting him slump down to the ground a bit more. Aragorn sat, leaning against the wall on Rogue's left, mindlessly toying with his sword as he waited for sleep to come. Boromir took the last chair, with Merry and Pippin sleeping under the table, near Gandalf, Aragorn, and Boromir. Legolas, finding the highest spot within the room, sat upon the railing of a small staircase that lined back corner. 

As everybody slowly fell into sleep, Rogue leaned against the right side of the doorway staring out into the never-ending blackness. Within the room, Gandalf's staff still lit the room partially, giving an almost safe glow. Rogue touched her daggers as she looked around once more, then softly sat on the hard ground. 

Surprisingly, it startled Rouge to hear Pippin's soft voice float through the air towards her.

"If the runner had even found us in time, would we still have come to Moria?"

Rogue smiled slightly at Pippin's curiosity. It was a good thing to have…even if you got in trouble for it. "A danger foreseen is only half avoided*…"

"So we would have, wouldn't we!"

"Go to sleep, Pippin. It's no use trying to understand something that hasn't happened."

"Fine, fine. G'night."

Rogue merely continued to watch the Mines around her, not giving a response. Finally, Pippin's small snores drifted throughout the room, leaving Rogue the only one awake. 

*This is a Cheyenne proverb.


	21. Dreams And Things Like Them

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Disclaimer: I don't own LotR. (I think that got my point across quite quickly, eh?)

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Author's Note: Please review! **_Please_**! I'm waiting to get past the 70+ review benchmark! I'll love you if you review! (And just to let anyone know who might be getting strange thoughts about this chapter…it is _not_ slash. Men can be friends. **_Nothing _**in my story has slash in it. Just thought I'd let you all know!) All Elvish used in this chapter (and in _most_ of my whole story) is Sindarin.

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Pebbles: A new reader! Thanks for reading…and I'll be sure to mark you down on the Rogue/Legolas supporters list! :)

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Xaneth: Another new reader! Goody! Thanks for reading my fanfic…and make sure to write you down as a R/L supporter, too! ::grin:: (Whew…those Boromir/Rogue supporters should start showing up or Legolas might actually win.

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Sprite: Nah, I'm not one of 'those' authorisses! I just don't always go along with what my readers want! :D

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Kiara: Thanks for reviewing again! :) And, yes, I do love the whole world…well, in moderation. LOL…cough sweets…

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Mithrildragon: Heh heh…Rogue with Galadriel…that would be a hoot…

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Saige: Don't worry about being crazy. I am too. :)

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Chapter 21: Dreams And Things Like Them

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I wanted to feel something  
To be something To see something  
I wanted to find one thing that was mine  
And leave this behind  
But I can't find my way  
To get far away and bury these days  
**-"Untitled", Fuel**

  
Rogue laid down on the cole stone floor with her stomach facing downwards. With her arms gently cradled her head, she let her eyes slowly close. The first watch was up and Gandalf now sat solidly in his chair, his wise eyes watching the suspicious shadows. He kept his staff close at hand, with his wrinkled hands moving slightly out of stiffness. 

Gandalf, in a strange way, made rogue fell safe. Something that she hadn't felt since she was little. But she wasn't little anymore…she had grown and didn't need that protection anymore. 

The silence lulled Rogue into the space between consciousness and sleep. As her mind wandered around in the empty blackness, she began to lose any grip she had on awareness. Slipping gently into the eternal void that filled her mind, her breathing became more regular. Gandalf smiled, glad to know the girl had finally fallen asleep. She had not been getting the amount of sleep she should have been getting…and sleep was always needed during journeys such as this one. 

* * *

__

A small elvish girl ran up to the two horses that were trotting down the road towards her small home. She wore a forest green tunic…one much like the elvish boys wore. Her disdain for dresses had grown over the years and she rarely wore them…save for the times that there was a festival or her father was taking her down to Rivendell. 

The girl ran down the dirt road in bare feet, not minding the sharp pain the rocks and twigs gave her as they hit her flesh. She had a small hair tie wrapped around her wrist and her thick brown hair flew out from behind her as the wind caught it. Her eyes twinkled as she grew closer to the horses.

"Father!" She laughed jubilantly as she ran up to the chocolate mare. She was small…small, it seemed, for even her age. Just barely reaching the height of the horse's back, she half jumped into her father's arms while being pulled up by him at the same time. Her small arms wrapped around his neck as he chuckled at the girl's eagerness to see him. 

The man had fine brown hair that closely matched the girl's…and even their eyes bore a great similarity. He had a tall, dignified stature with deep, kind eyes. He kept his shoulder-length hair in traditional elvish braids, keeping most of it out of his face. He had fair, alabaster skin…contrasting nicely with his hair. 

"Tithen melith," he chuckled. The girl was still hugging him, her hair blowing gently in his face. 'Little love' was what he always called her. His voice was a lovely baritone, strong and loving…matching his physical appearance quite well. "I see you've missed me."

The girl finally let go of his neck, looking him straight in the eye. "Of course!" Looking over his shoulder, the girl finally caught sight of the two other riders that had followed her father. One man rode a silverish-colored horse while the other had a speckled grey and white mare. She squealed with delight as she recognized the rider of the silver horse, almost squirming out of her father's arms to be put down. The man began laughing and tipped his head at her in greeting. Meanwhile, her father was steering his horse to the stable that sat behind their cottage. He gently scooped the girl up, setting her down on the soft grass. Getting off himself, he led his horse into the stables, with the two other riders following quickly after him. 

Coming out of the stables, the man stumbled back as the girl jumped up and hugged him. "Mithren-heneb dúnadan!"

The man was tall and his hair a blackish color, yet it was tainted with the speckles of silver and grey. His eyes were a strange grey color, yet it was common to find that of Men. He was tall…much taller than the girl...yet not quite as tall as her father. He stood three to four inches below the elf's height. " _Anédia," he replied, chuckling._

As she let go of him, she turned to look at the strange man that stood at the doorway of the stables. He was young…in his twenties…yet he seemed to know much about life. His skin was dark…much darker than she had seen in Elithir before. He had almost no hair…although it seemed he shaved it off himself. His eyes matched his skin tone, yet were kind, just like her father's. But they did not hold the kind of calmness that her father's and the other rider's did. They seemed to show an excitement, a new adventure. 

Anédia looked at him, slightly suspicious. He smiled at her, trying to not worry her. "Ah, g'day. Anédia, is it? I've heard a lot about you."

Her face broke into a small smile, showing perfectly white teeth. "You have?"

Anédia's father chuckled, watching the small exchange. "Anédia, tithen melith, this is Calirion. He's a friend of Arathorn."

Remembering the pleasantries her father had taught her, she nodded her head. "Nice to meet you." Turning to her father, she looked at him questioningly. "Why did they come with you?"

Kneeling down to be closer to her height, he looked at her straight in the eye. "We need to talk about somethings…"

"I orchoth?" She asked in elvish.

"Yes, melith, about orcs and other such things you don't need to trouble yourself with."

Suddenly, the girl seemed to be struck with realization. "Will you leave again?"

Smiling, her father gathered her up in his arms, resting his head on her shoulder. Closing his eyes, he spoke gently. "Later, yes. But not soon…"

Giving him a soft squeeze and then moving out of his arms, she smiled. Turning around, she saw that Arathorn held a long package. Grinning, he held it out to her as she scrambled to grab it. Moving over so that she could sit on the ground and rest her back against the stable's wall, she bit her lip as she tore of the plain parchment. Her eyes grew large as a long, curved sword sat before her. Looking up for a second, she muttered a quick 'thank you' and then raced off with sword in hand, further into the yard around the house. 

"I hope you don't mind I gave her a sword, Vélad," he chuckled.

Standing up, the girl's father shook her head. "Even if I did, you wouldn't be able to tear her away from it to take it back. She already has daggers, however, and I suppose a sword won't hurt her too much. Now, the issue of the Ring needs to be discussed…"

Nodding, Arathorn readily agreed. "There isn't much we can do about it now, yet the future holds much promise…"

"Am I needed at this moment?" Calirion spoke up.

"I do not think so…" Arathorn replied.

Nodding his head, Calirion walked off. Leaving Vélad and Arathorn to discuss the ring, Calirion walked past beautiful, tall trees growing in lush grass. Finally, he came across the young Anédia fiddling with her sword. At that moment, she was waving it around, trying to 'sword' fight. 

Laughing, Calirion walked up to her. "I believe if you fight like that with a sword, you are more likely to kill yourself than an enemy."

Turning her large eyes on him, she turned slightly pink. "Well…I…I've never had anyone teach me how to use a sword."

Smiling, he leaned against a tree. "I can teach you…but only if you answer a question first."

"What question?" she replied skeptically.

"What was it that you called Arathorn earlier?"

"Do you mean ' Mithren-heneb dúnadan'?"

Laughing, he nodded. "That's exactly what I mean!"

"Oh, it just means 'grey-eyed man'. I used to forget his name, so now I just call him that," she explained, grinning. 

Walking over and crouching besides Anédia, he began the slow process of teaching the art of sword fighting.

* * *

"And why didn't we wake her earlier?" Boromir grumbled.

"Boromir," Gandalf softly warned.

A gentle touch on Rogue' shoulder slowly woke her. 

"Mmmm…" she murmured in response, moving her head slightly.

Legolas's soft laugh reached her ears, forcing her to open her eyes. Her head was facing the empty far end of the room. All the sound was coming closer to the entrance, and so she slowly picked herself up with her arms. After wiping her eyes softly, trying to rid herself of the lingering sleepiness, she lazily got upon her feet and stood up. She walked over to where the Fellowship was sitting in a strange circle near the doorway of the room. 

"I don't suppose anyone left any food for me?" she asked. The rest of the Fellowship was already feasting on a cold breakfast composed of salted sausage and bread. Sam smiled at the elvish girl and handed her a small helping of food.

"Thanks…" Rogue replied slowly as she took the food. Breakfast went on as normal, yet it was silent. Nothing had happened during the night, yet sleeping on the floor or in a chair had taken its toll on all of them. Soreness filtered into their arms and backs, allowing almost no muscle to go unnoticed. Yet they all were focusing on one thing - they would be, hopefully, out of Moria today. 


	22. Journey to the Bridge

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Disclaimer: Let me reiterate this…I don't own LotR. 

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Author's Note: YEA!! I got past the 70 benchmark. Next up…80+! (I never stop pushing do I?!?) **_Review_** if you are reading my story, please! I love reading reviews….and I do read every single one of them!

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Kitsune: Thanks for still reading! :) Well, I can't tell you whether this story is going to be R/L or R/B. I've already decided, yes, but it would be wrong of me to tell everybody, now wouldn't it?!

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Zeech: I knew it had been a month or something like it. I'm very sorry about that! :) And I send my condolences for your sickness…I'm glad that I can at least give you something to read while your sick! :D (Your daily…or every other day… dose of Boromir!) 

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Kiara: Thanks again!! :)

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Mithrildragon: I'm glad the dream intrigued you! (All will be pieced together in time!) Yes, Arathorn is Aragorn's father…and we're almost up to Lothlorien! I promise. 

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Saige: Ooh, sorry about confusing you! I didn't mean to. Let me try and clear somethings up for you, eh. Arathorn was the one mentioned in the dream. Arathorn is Aragorn's father who seemed to know Rogue rather well…or at least see her every once in a while. Rogue never personally knew Aragorn before she teamed up with the Fellowship for this journey….

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Silver15: Thanks for reading my story! Hehe! :) R/L supporters are really showing up…as soon as I have time, I'll check out your stories!

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Chapter 22: Journey to the Bridge

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And in the morning there is nothing left but what's inside of me.  
And I don't want to die tonight; will you believe in me?  
And I don't want to fall into the light.  
Will you wish upon?  
Will you walk upon me?  
I don't want to die tonight.  
**-"Morningstar", A.F.I.**

Rogue sat quietly within herself, replaying the dream over and over again. Valar, why wouldn't it go away? Her past was her part and she now lived in her future…

"Sleep well?" Gandalf asked kindly. His old voice was soft and seemed to wrap itself gently around her, reminding her. Reminding her of how everything that had once been lovely turned quickly into the fragrance of rubbish.

"Hmm. Lovely," her dry voice responded. Finishing her breakfast, she stood up and brushed her hands against her pants. Walking out of the room, she learned against the wall right next to the doorway. From where they sat, the Fellowship could see only part of her side.

Letting out a long breath of air, Gandalf stood up. "We should be moving on.'

Sam hurriedly packed up the dishes while the others stood and stretched. Their muscles had become knotted and twisted from the previous night's sleep, making the stretching well appreciated. 

"Looks like we shall be making it through Moria without a trouble," Boromir stated while quickly giving his arms a small stretch.

"Don't count on that yet. If we make it over the Bridge of Khazad Dum, then you can start feeling as though we're safe," Rogue told him. She had walked back in the room without anyone noticing. Her small figure stood ready to depart…tense in a strange way. It was if she was actually _anxious_ to leave the caves. "Do you have everything packed, Sam?" She asked…her voice showing a strange harshness to the hobbit. Out of all the Fellowship, it was normally the Hobbits that she seemed the least aggravated with. There was, of course, very little to get mad at them about.

Sam nodded his head while picking up the small pack he carried. "All packed! I believe we have enough food to last us 'till Lothlorien. We are going there aren't we?" 

Walking through the doorway and into the main cavern. Rouge gave a low chuckle. "It lies near Moria's exits, does it not?" She suddenly hid her tenseness, and her composure became how it had been since they entered the caves. Her voice still kept her natural dryness and tint of sarcasm, yet her body loosened up.

Surprised to find how her personality had changed so suddenly with his question, Sam walked near Frodo yet continued to ask questions. "Have you ever been to Lothlorien?"

"A few times," Rogue answered simply. 

"Then you have met Galadriel?" Gimli put in quickly, ready to defend the beautiful Elvish Lady.

In response, Rogue merely gave a half-hearted laugh.

This, of course, started to enrage the dwarf. "And what is that supposed to mean?"

"Only that, yes, I have met her."

Rogue had already begun leading the Fellowship into the elongated cavern that seemed to go on forever. It was this exact place that the Fellowship had first learned of the Balrog within the Mines.

Frodo started to become nervous, his eyes looking wherever there was enough light to see. Rogue took no notice since he was behind her by many feet, but the same did not go for Aragorn. "What is wrong, Frodo?"

"Nothing, nothing…it's just…." He replied meekly.

"This is where we first saw the Balrog?" Legolas added in helpfully. With the mention of the Balrog, Gandalf started shaking his head, remembering it all well.

"…Exactly," Frodo replied.

"You need not fear such things as Balrogs, dear Frodo. That one perished two years ago, and there are none within these Mines that I know of," Gandalf reassured Frodo.

Listening, Rogue finally added her information in to help Frodo. "Gandalf is right, Frodo. The Balrog is dead…and there are no new inhabitants in these Mines."

Frodo gave a weak smile to show that they had succeeded in giving him reassurance. Patting Frodo on the shoulder, Aragorn moved past the small Hobbit to be in the middle of the line. It was now Boromir and Legolas at the end.

Walking along briskly, the Fellowship quickly moved through the large cavern. The dark stone walls sat motionless, listening to every sound. The hall was strangely desolate with no people in it…giving the eerie feeling that one would experience at a graveyard or a castle that was deserted long ago. Frodo's worries did not seem to disappear, and every small shadow startled him. Legolas, constantly on guard, did not realize that Frodo was merely being skittish…and seeing Frodo jump for the first time in the Hall, he was instantly ready to shoot. Yet what he was aiming at was nothing more than a shadow.

Suddenly, Sam heard a small scattering of _something_ across the stone floor…which clearly didn't have anything just laying around which could move. Looking to see what the sound was and finding no source, Sam jumped high enough that he could have been level with Rogue's horse. Legolas, of course, was ready for a fight…aiming into the shadows. Boromir drew his sword, along with Aragorn, waiting for the mysterious thing to come forth. 

"It was nothing…walk on," Rogue ordered.

Walking several more steps and then turning around, Rogue found that none of the Fellowship had listened to her. All were ready to either run or fight the creature - or something - which rested within the shadows. Frustrated, she walked back. "What's wrong?"

"I heard…a…a…movement over there…." Sam explained, pointing his finger into the darkness.

Shaking her head, she walked over into the shadows. Moments passed, a soft shuffling was heard, and then Rogue's form was seen walking back to the Fellowship. She was, however, holding something in her hand. Kneeling next to Sam, who leaned away from her closed hand, she raised an eyebrow. "It's a lucky thing your heard this creature. I could not tell you how much danger it could have caused us if we had allowed it to find us…" 

With these words, Sam grew even more fidgety. Opening her hand slowly, Rogue reveled to Sam a small lizard. It stood on her palm for a second, then jumped down the stone floor and scurried off. Legolas put down his bow, just as Boromir and Aragorn sheathed their swords. As Rogue walked back to the front of the 'line', Boromir gave in and smiled at the 'joke'. They continued walking onwards, and had come to the doorway that led to the cavern that held the Bridge. Fires lit the bottom of the crevice, serving warning for anyone who might wish to not pay attention within the Mines. Everybody had forgotten about Sam's mistake, except for Sam himself. The Hobbit sulked, knowing he gave Rogue a good laugh because he was so jittery. 

Gandalf, seeing Sam in this condition, spoke to the Hobbit. "And what is the matter, Sam?" 

Sam, however, did not reply. After several moments had passed, Rogue roughly called back to Sam. "If you're worrying about what everyone must think of you for being worried about a lizard, you can forget about it now."

"I really did think it was something else…it _sounded_ larger," he replied.

"The sound within the Mines can sound different than if it were on the outside world. Now, forget about it. Perhaps you should focus now on getting across the Bridge without falling into the fires…" 

Pippin's ears perked up. "If we are about to go across the Bridge, than does this mean we don't have to worry about the…what did you call it? Shadow Creature?"

The Fellowship walked on slowly, being sure to not accidentally fall because of a pathway suddenly ending. They were above the Bridge at the moment, and, of course, would have to be on the ground level to make it across. Rogue led them carefully, picking her footing. Their pace had slowed considerably because of the threat this part of the Mines posed. One wrong step and you would find that there was no ground and you were suddenly falling. They were not that far from the bottom…yet they tried not to rush.

"I suppose, Pippin, we can start saying that…" Rogue finally replied. Silence followed her statement for several moments, yet a loud rumbling soon filled their ears.

Boromir looked at Gandalf, seeing if the old wizard had an answer. "What is that?" 

Gandalf shook his head. There was no answer there. 

But looking at Rogue, it looked as though the girl was just as confused as the Fellowship. The Earth did not quake with the rumbling that continued onwards, and no walls or ceilings seemed to be moving. Yet the sound was strangely like that of when they first entered the Mines and the doors were slammed shut. Rock on rock. 

Finally, Rogue hopped down from the strange upper level of the cavern. The rest of the Company quickly followed her suit. Standing on the bottom level, Rogue seemed to be contemplating what it was that was causing the sound. The Shadow Creature could still be in Moria…and everyone knew that. The Fellowship could not cross the Bridge unless they knew it was safe….

"Perhaps the exit is caving in…." Aragorn suggested, yelling for his voice to reach the ears of his companions.

Rogue nodded slowly, trying to process the thought in her mind with all the thunderous sound. 

"But that would mean the mountain was slightly collapsing…" Boromir responded, yelling as well.

"I believe we can safely assume this is the Shadow Creature's work, since no work of the land sounds such as this," Gandalf added.

Legolas seemed to be not convinced by Aragorn's theory. "But is the Shadow Creature strong enough to collapse a mountain to stop us from exiting?"

Rogue shook her head, confused as to what was happening. "I do not believe so…but perhaps…." Stopping in mid-sentence, her eyes grew large as she suddenly realized what was happening. "It's the Bridge! It is moving the Bridge…."

Boromir squinted at the Bridge, but shook his head. "But it's not moving…"

"But it is, yet not enough that we can see it yet…"

"So you are saying that this…Creature…is down _there_, in the fires, just to move the bridge?" Gimli asked skeptically.

Again, Rogue shook her head. "It is not like that at all…but we don't have enough time to explain everything it does. All I will say is that it melds in with shadows, so, yes, part of it is near the Bridge…but the rest of it is hidden somewhere else in the Mines…" With that, she started walking to the Bridge. A small quake hit, sending the Fellowship wavering to keep their balance. None doubted that the Bridge was being moved now. Stepping off to the side, Rogue hurried the Company along and to get across the Bridge. There was now a sense of urgency among them…

Aragorn was passing along the bridge, with Pippin and Merry following close behind. Gandalf and Sam followed quickly, yet leaving space between everybody in case of having to quickly stop. Aragorn, however, ran the fastest over the bridge, seemingly not worried about falling into the flames below. The Hobbits walked more than ran; with Gandalf making sure they didn't do something foolish and kill themselves. 

But Frodo stalled at the edge of the Bridge. 

"Go, Frodo! I do not know how much longer the Bridge will be stable…" Rogue urged harshly.

Yet instead of running across to join the others, which hadn't made it to the other side yet, he turned his large eyes upon her, worried. "Are you coming, too?" 

Rogue cringed slightly inside, but stayed firm. "I'll be coming later…after all of you. You go across the Bridge, like everyone else, and I promise I will join with all of you before you leave Moria."

Another small quake hit and Rogue looked up, worried. Aragorn was across, yet the Hobbits and Gandalf had not made it before the quake. All were crouching on the narrow bridge, waiting for their balance to recover. As soon as the tremors deceased, yet the sound still vibrated through the air, Frodo started running across the Bridge. 

Before Boromir stepped foot on the Bridge, Rogue stopped him. "Tell everybody to wait somewhere near an hour."

Nodding his head, he shoved any problems he had with her back down his throat and spoke civilly. "Are you going to find the Shadow Creature?" 

Rogue hesitated a second before answering. "Yes." She seemed quite ready to run back up the upper levels of the cavern and go back into Moria to look for the Creature that was causing a threat to the Fellowship at this very moment.

"If it is as dangerous as you seem to think it is, why are you going to fight it? Do you truly believe you can defeat this thing?" Boromir asked seriously.

"Defeating this Creature isn't what I plan to do. Distracting it, perhaps, and giving the Fellowship a better chance of living through Moria. But certainly not killing it," Rogue explained. Giving a small nod, Boromir began slightly running across the Bridge. Pippin and Merry had made it across now, along with Gandalf and Sam. Frodo and Boromir were the only ones left.

Rogue turned around and sprinted towards the path that led up through the upper levels of the cavern. Running all the way into the hallway where Sam had been spooked by the lizard, she began her search. 


	23. Persuasive Fighting

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Disclaimer: Hmm…well…what's new? I don't own LotR. 

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A/N: Well, what's new? Just like always, if you're reading this please **_review_**! I've got 77 reviews….now for 80+! :) I'm sorry this is a really small chapter, but it gets my point across. And it's sort of bad…eck! Sorry!

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Zeech: Woohoo! A long review! I love reviews, so you can imagine what I think about a long review (and, NO, it's not that you're crazy!) I'm terribly sorry that my story is cursed for you…heh! What can I do, eh? I could just stop writing this story all together…but I couldn't do that! All right, as for the 'glimpses in Rogue's past'…well that, of course is all done intentionally. I can't tell too much too early without telling a lot of the plot. All right, so maybe not '_the'_ plot, but it's sort of like a problem within the story, you know? And Rogue is part of _the_ plot. I don't know exactly why I put the lizard thing in there…adds character, I guess. I was daydreaming (I do that to get into the 'mood' of writing and get ideas) and I had a daydream that Rogue did that to one of the Hobbits…and, well, I had to put it in there. LOL! Having Gandalf fall again? I don't know if I'd even want to do that…and as for making Boromir fall…well, don't you think that would be far too easy? ::grins evilly:: Their relationship will never be 'normal'…at least, I don't think it would be. That would be far too boring. What would I write about?!? Rogue arguing with…Gandalf?!? It doesn't work. As for your concern about Rogue…well, I guess you'll understand next chapter (probably not this one). I don't want to explain it fully quite yet, because that would give away some of the next chapter, eh! So I guess you'll just have to be bugged for a while. Thanks for your encouragement…I do need that…even though I have 75 reviews…and there's absolutely nothing wrong with you for writing a 623 review. What would be strange is if you rambled on about the seven-toed cat and box cutter for the whole thing. 

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Mithrildragon: LOL! Rescued by the lizard…

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Saige: Yay! You're not confused anymore! :D Thankies for saying this is your favorite story….

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Chapter 23: Persuasive Fighting

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Through this world I've stumbled  
So many times betrayed,  
Trying to find an honest word,  
to find the truth enslaved,

Oh you speak to me in riddles  
And you speak to me in rhyme  
My body aches to breathe your breath,  
your words keep me alive

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-"Possession", Sarah McLachlan

  
Rogue rushed through the Hall, looking for the doors along the walls that led to other small caverns. Without Gandalf's light, Rogue could see no more than two feet in front of her. Running as best as she could, she kept her hands out in front of her for guidance. Suddenly, her hands smacked into the cold stone. Feeling around the surface that she hit, she finally decided it was a wall, and not a pillar, which stood before her. She walked alongside the wall carefully, running her hands along the smooth surface. Suddenly, she felt the knob of a door handle at about her waist. Hurriedly, she fumbled with it, finally opening the door. Walking into the room, she felt around it carefully. Nothing.

These strange actions continued, with around ten or twelve doors being inspected before Rogue came to another door handle. The cool iron that made up the handle was a shock to her sweating palm…all the other door handles had been thick oak wood. After a few moments, the door gave way to Rogue, allowing her access to the strange room. Entering slowly, she found that light illuminated this room. Confused, she quickly looked around for the source. Coming from some cracks and crevices in the corners, Moria's fires' light shined through. _This room must be closer to the Bridge than I realized…_Rogue silently thought to herself. 

The room was a rectangle with no furniture or holding items. What the room was for Rogue couldn't be certain, but it was certainly not too small. Twenty feet long and sixteen feet wide was a nice sized room for being in the 'storage' area of the Mines.

Rogue's head began to throb again, like it did when the Fellowship first entered the Mines. Yet this time it was worse…it felt as though slabs of bricks were being pressed, hard, against her temples. Closing her eyes to try and keep the pain out, she covered her head with her hands as she slowly sank to the ground to sit. Her breaths began to become deep, trying to rid herself of the terrible pain within her head. The pressure seemed to grow every second…

And then the pounding ceased slightly, releasing her head from the feeling it would suddenly give way and pop. A steady sharpness still lingered on her right temple as she reached down to her hip and unsheathed her long, curved sword. 

The reddish light that came from under the Bridge caused a strange flickering light throughout the room. The silver sword that was held by Rogue's right hand turned crimson red from the fires' lights. Shadows covered the corners throughout the room, moving with the ever-changing light. 

Rogue narrowed her yes as she looked suspiciously at the dark shadows. She walked slowly forward, moving to the room's right corner. She lifted each foot carefully and lightly put them down, any sound she made inaudible to even an observant watcher. It was no special talent within her that allowed such a feat; merely her elvish blood flowing thickly inside of her.

Her back was slightly hunched as she walked, ready to move when danger presented itself. Her coat moved gently around her, barely moving against the floor. As the darkness of shadows closed in on her, her coat became barely visible. The color of the fabric and the natural color of the shadows melded perfectly, leaving almost no seam for where living girl began and dead night ended.

Rogue's left hand sat unused at her left thigh, tense. Turning her head to get a better look at her surroundings, her brown hair fell about her face. Each wisp of hair moved individually with her every movement, always framing her face. 

She walked further in to the corner, almost ready to turn back and investigate different parts of the room.

Before she could react, Rogue went flying forward. A heavy object, or thing, rammed into her back. The thing seemed to weigh double, or triple, Rogue's weight…or maybe it was only the force of the object's movement towards her back that made it seem heavy. Either way, the sudden force sent Rogue stumbling forward several feet. Trying to get back her balance, Rogue pivoted quickly to face her attacker. What she found, however, was only shadows. 

Gripping her sword even more tightly, she used her left hand and quickly untied the rope that kept her bow strapped to her back. Gently dropping it to the ground, she slipped her quiver off her back as well. Now, she stood uninhibited, ready for a fight.

Staring uneasily at the shadows around her, she tried to distinguish which shadow was holding the Shadow Creature. She took a hesitant step forward, watching for any sudden movements from the air around. Her breathing became shallow as her eyes darted around the room for signs. She kept her stance, slightly hunched; ready to move at the slightest sound, as the silence slowly became deafening. 

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Does the darkness frighten you?

Rogue's eyes grew larger, but only slightly, as the voice suddenly filled her mind. It was the same one…the one that had haunted her dreams, the one that had talked to her while on the mountains….

Holding a dark edge to it, the voice was, in a strange way, calm…but the type of calm that only comes before a storm. It was a coarse, rough sounding voice with a strange accent, one that seemed as though it would only come from the elvish tongue of Mordor.

Trying to stop the furious beating of her heart within her chest, Rogue stood slowly. Still gripping her sword tightly, she stood, almost defiant and at the same time dignified, as her voice sprung out of her throat clearly.

"I do not fear shadows…"

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Strong words spoken by one who knows the power of a Shadow Creature.

Suddenly, a powerful force hit Rogue on her left side, sending her to the ground. It was the same force that had originally attacked her, with the same strange texture and thickness. It was fully there…yet at the same time, it wasn't. There seemed to be no exact body of the Creature…just air. But when it attacked, there was more than air that pushed the defender to the ground. 

Rogue's sword clattered to the ground as she hit the cold floor. Reaching out her hand, she quickly grabbed her weapon as she scampered to regain her upright position. Standing up, her right side aching from the impact of the floor, she kept her stance cold and defiant.

A deep, growling chuckle resounding throughout the room. _You have not changed all that much. Now, tell me, are you ready for the Fellowship to die?_

It was Rogue's time to let out a growl this time, yet hers was not meant as laughter. "I have come too far for them to die now."

Rogue suddenly lunged at a misshapen shadow that she just spotted, which moved seconds before Rogue could even reach it. Rogue nearly landed on the floor again, just barely keeping on her feet as she slowly stopped and turned around to face the shadow.

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You are not strong enough to overcome me. You know this, Anédia.

"But I am strong enough to make sure that _they_ do." Standing tall, she somehow managed to look dignified. 

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They are out to fight against the very thing you worked to create…and you are helping them? Is that what you really want?

Again, she lunged at the Creature. Instead of dodging, it stood its ground…but retaliated. Rogue's sword pierced the shadow and at the same moment she was lifted up in the air by a strange ring of darkness around her neck. As she pulled her sword out, blackened ooze dripped from it. 

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You can not win, so why do you try?

The Creature flung Rogue to the wall with extreme force. Her head hit the wall with a thud, bouncing forward, and ending up resting on her right shoulder. Her own sword slashed her hand, her blood now flowing freely on the floor. She sat dazed, not able to react. The Creature advanced, taking advantage of Rogue's injury. Clasping both her wrists with its own darkness, it once again held her up. Her back laid flat upon the wall and her head throbbed from the impact, yet she tried to struggle free. Her right hand still kept her sword and the pressure that the Creature applied to her left wrist made her accidental injury open even more. Opening her mouth to speak, or shriek, she was instantly quieted by the darkness.

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Now do you understand? You have never left…you never will. Tell yourself that you have left, make yourself even believe that. But when you are finally needed, you will not resist. You can't. You don't have the courage or strength that it needs to resist.

Rogue closed her eyes, trying to block the voice. She didn't have the strength…the courage…Valar, she had to have it. Her father had taught her so much about courage, about dignity…how could he have that very thing, yet she had learned none of it? 

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Don't listen if that is your wish. But I already know the fate of this journey. And it does not resemble the ending of the first Quest.

"You lie," she murmured. Her voice was becoming hoarse, yet she used all her strength for one last fight.

Flicking her right wrist around with the last bit of power that she had, she managed to move her sword just enough to grow close to the darkness of the Creature. Using the last amount of resistance she had, she pushed the sword forward quickly, pushing it into the darkness. The Creature gave a high-pitched screech of animal. Closing around Rogue's wrists even more, it threw Rogue down against the stone floor. 

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They will die, all of them…your help will be of no use to them.

Rogue let out a desperate gasp as her back and head hit the stone once again. Her right leg was twisted further to the right than it should have been but it seemed to not be broken. No sickening cracks of bones could be heard, merely thuds of bone against stone. But the leg was, at least, sprained badly. Her right hand had also let go of the sword as it was thrown with the rest of Rogue towards the ground. Once again, it stuck its master slightly, barely touching Rogue's skin. Yet the slight touch did cut her - right under her left ear - and it led to bleeding. A small, sharpened pebble sat several feet away from Rogue's head. She stared blankly, her head hurting badly as the room started spinning around her. It was that pebble that the top of her head had landed on, and now a small stream of blood trickled through her hair and down the side of her face. 

Moving her head so it was in a more comfortable position, she slowly closed her eyes. Blood moved down her face, running over her eyelid and stopping delicately at her top lip. Breathing, however, ultimately made the blood run further down her neck and chest. Rogue gave out a hacking cough as the dust and grime within the room finally made itself present. She had not noticed it when she first entered, but now, with it stuck all over her, she was more than aware of it. Her curved sword laid slightly to the left of her, reflecting the light of the flames. Everything soon blurred as Rogue began to lose her grip on reality and the Creature silently left Rogue in the room. All that was left was the almost dead, it seemed, Rogue and her weapons.


	24. A Silent Waiting

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Disclaimer: None of these ideas expressed below are actually mine. They are told to me by Luthor and Ferdinand, the five-inch tall space aliens who live under my desk. In return for these ideas, I have given them permission to eat any dust bunnies they may find under there. Oh, wait. Never mind. I forgot…J.R.R. Tolkien actually owns LotR. 

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A/N: Hey! Sorry again about the long wait. But, you know, summer IS HERE! WOOHOO!! I'm hoping to get a new chappy every day, and my goal (and I KNOW I'll reach it) is to finish this fanfic this summer! Hehe! I have tons of more fanfic ideas…and I've been toying with the idea of doing a Star Wars AU fanfic with Padme and Anakin. I'm also thinking of the idea of a fanfic from the Dragonriders of Pern (featuring Brekke and F'nor…my favorite charries!) But, don't worry…I'll definitely finish this fic…and probably start up another LotR fic right after this. :)

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Falcyn Nathronoelei: :) I always enjoy reviewing your stories! Thanks for reviewing mine! Heh heh. Anywhoo…you're partially right…Rogue _is_ in pretty bad shape…. :-D

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Zeech: LOL! Super Boromir. That made me think of Boromir in a spandex suit…::innocent look:: Sorry, I can't help it. Heh heh! I'm sorry that Rogue has to suffer…but ::dun dun dun:: she _has_ to!

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Mithrildragon: LOL! Darth Vadar and the Force…hey, that makes me think about my idea of making a Star Wars fic. ::snaps out of it:: Oh, I'm sorry…hehe! Dun dun dun…the plot thickens…the plot will probably be pretty thick by the end of this story….::grin:: And I hope you did well on your exam on Climate Change…

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Saige: Thanks! :)

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Soda the Elf: Hey, thankies! But Tolkien's still better. ::grin:: Heh heh.

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Krissy: Thanks for the idea….I'll keep it in mind for later in my story (no, really, I will…it's just that the Moria part of the story has already been worked out in my mind and I can change it now, you know?) If you have any more suggestions, please leme know!

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Chapter 24: A Silent Waiting

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Still  
I will remember  
Still  
I'll run with you, yes  
And when it's time for you to go  
Take me in your heart  
**-"I Stand Alone", Quest for Camelot soundtrack**

Another quake struck, sending the bridge, along with Frodo and Boromir, lurching to the right. Reacting quickly, Frodo fell to the ground and grabbed onto the edges of the bridge before he could get knocked down into the pits below. Boromir, however, tipped to the right as the bridge swung in that direction. Flailing his arms for a few seconds, he luckily fell down on the bridge, where he followed Frodo's example and held on tightly to the sides. The rest of the Fellowship looked on worriedly from the other side, hoping that they would not repeat what happened to Gandalf last time they crossed the bridge. 

As the moving slowly stopped, Frodo stood up and ran the rest of the way across the bridge. There was only 20 feet to cross, and he made it to the edge of the bridge quickly, only to find a small gap between the bridge and the other side. Taking a few steps backwards he jumped across the small break onto the other side, where Legolas was waiting to catch him if his jump fell short. Boromir, now where Frodo had stood only seconds before, glanced at the crevice. The fires of the pits could be seen and there was certainly enough room in this break for full-grown Man to fall through. Ignoring is thoughts, Boromir jumped safely across, tumbling onto the other side. Standing up, he brushed off any debris that had gotten on him.

"Come on…we need to get to a safer area!" Aragorn shouted over the deep rumbles that still vibrated through the air.

Without waiting for a response, Aragorn darted up the small stairs that led to a small room that stood near the exit of the Mines. Glancing back, Pippin looked for the last member of their group - Rogue. Boromir, however, nudged Pippin forward, causing him to follow the rest of the Fellowship up the stairs. 

Entering the room, which was lit by light that came from the end of another corridor that branched off of it, Aragorn looked around as the last of the Fellowship finally entered. The ceiling of this room was certainly not as tall as the rest of the Mines….only around ten feet above the floor. In the corner of the room, a pile of large rocks sat silently, seeming to come from a large hole in the flat ceiling that was around five feet away from it. The ceiling was in such a strange flatness that is seemed as though it was quite possible for a whole other room to right on top of it.

Looking at Boromir, Aragorn started questioning about Rogue. "Where did Rogue go?"

Enhaling deeply to try and stop his pounding heart, Boromir replied. "Where else would the girl go? To fight the Shadow Creature."

Muttering something under his breath, Aragorn looked sharply at him. "Why did you let her go? You should have made her go with - "

Shaking his head, the Steward of Gondor cut Aragorn off. "And would the girl had listened? I do not believe so…"

Nodding, Gandalf agreed. "She is strong-willed, Aragorn."

"She said to wait an hour…" Boromir stated.

"Very well, an hour it is. But we must be out of these hills by nightfall…orcs might be roaming about and we need to get to Lothlorien as soon as possible," Aragorn told the Fellowship.

It was not long until they settled into the small room, waiting for the lone girl to show up. The Hobbits sat, leaning against the walls of the room, while Aragorn and Legolas kept watch for any strange movements. Boromir kept quiet, sitting on the opposite wall of where the pile of rocks sat, while Gimli sharpened his axe near Pippin and Merry.

And uneasy silence fell among the small group, as the white light from outside filtered inside the room. But even with the small source of light, it seemed as though a darkness hovered about the room. Not a threatening one, but a darkness filled with unanswered questions. And it was Merry who first spoke one of them.

"And what is she did not win?" Merry spoke up suddenly.

Gandalf smiled. "Are you talking about Rogue?"

Merry nodded. "Yes, yes. She goes off to fight against the thing that is attacking us, but how are we to know that she won?"

Gimli gave a gruff snort. "The girl is brave…and fighting is mostly just being brave enough to die. The rest is skill…which she does not seem to be lacking in."

"But that doesn't guarantee that we'll ever see her alive again!" Pippin finally spoke.

Aragorn gave a short laugh. "No, of course is does not. Nothing will ever guarantee that one will live through a battle. Yet I do not doubt that we will see her again."

And then the questions stopped, just as quickly as they had started. No one could tell a correct answer, and although they all reassured the Hobbits that Rogue was fine, it was their mind, and not their hearts, that spoke this. Within each one of the members of the Fellowship, they wondered what had happened of the small elven girl that had seemed to know so much. Boromir stayed unusually quiet, although it went unnoticed by everybody. The silence that surrounded them blocked out any strange actions of the living within the room.

The light slowly shifted, marking the amount of time that had passed. By the end of the hour, any small noise made the Company look to see if it was Rogue, finally getting around to rejoining the group. But it never was…only a stray rat or piece of debris being moved around by something. When an hour was about up, Aragorn looked at the group reluctantly. 

"We need to get going….I wish not to be on the mountain when night falls…"

"And what of Rogue, Aragorn?" Sam looked up, worried.

"It has been the hour that she asked us to wait…we can do no more."

The Hobbits stood up slowly, stretching out their aching muscles. Boromir looked around the room quickly as he stood, ready to move onwards towards Lothlorien. Gimli stood silently, his small form ready to walk further. Giving one last look around the room, Aragorn slowly started to lead the group into the corridor that the light shined from, the corridor that would lead them back into the outside world and safely away from the Mines.

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The dark-haired elven girl slowly opened her eyes, not quite understanding why her whole body felt as though it had been thrown from a cliff. As she lifted up her right hand to caress her pounding head, she felt a strange stickiness running throughout her hair. It was partially dried blood, although she couldn't for the life of her remember where it had come from. Slowly moving her hand to her scalp, she found a medium sized cut on the top of her head. 

And then she remembered. She had been fighting with the Shadow Creature…and she hadn't been strong enough to overtake it. Or even strong enough to protect herself from the threat it posed.

She gave a light moan as she tried to move her right leg, only to find out she couldn't. Pain throbbed from it, slowly working its way up her torso. The numerous cuts that had been administered to her, mostly by her own sword, radiated pain also, being that they had not even scabbed over yet. And not only those injuries, but her whole body ached with a powerful throbbing because of being thrown against stone so many times.

Without moving, she looked around the room, finding that the Shadow Creature had already left. In a corner, which was several feet away from her, she found that a hole had been created in the floor. Knowing that the Creature would never allow her such an easy escape, she realized it must have been from a quake…

Grimacing from the pain, she moved so she was now laying on her stomach. Looking around for her weapons, she found her sword close by, but her arrow and quiver several feet behind her, where she had left them. Breathing deeply to try and stop the pain, which did not work, she moved slowly towards her bow and arrows. She moved awkwardly, pulling herself by her hands and pushing with her left foot. Each movement made the gash on her left palm open even more widely, the pain making her stop several times to try and stop the pain. Finally, after several minutes, she closer the small distance that was between her and her weapon, and grabbed them, flinging both the bow and the quiver towards the sword. 

Then she began her daunting task of moving all over again. Finally reaching her weapons, she slowly grabbed her sword, placing it back in it's sheath, which she slowly took off. Taking the bow, quiver, and sheath in her right hand, she moved slowly towards the small hole in the floor. 

By the time she reached her destination, the pain had overtaken her body so much that she almost lost any grip on consciousness that she had. Fighting to stay awake, she threw her weapons through the hole, which, she found, was large enough for her to fit in. Hearing them clatter to the floor below, she looked down to find a small room filled with nothing. But there was light down there…and not from Moria's fires. Trying to smile, but failing, she pushed herself closer to the hole. 

Moving herself so that she was now sitting, she got even closer the hole. She planned to hold on to the side and slowly lower herself down, halfway jumping. And it would have worked, yet any strength she had was used to move herself towards her escape. Now, her legs sticking out of the hole, she tried to lower herself down, but only succeeded in crashing down into the room. She landed on her left side her head, luckily, not hitting the ground very hard. But her body did. Two sickening cracks came from under her chest, and she squirmed slightly from the pain. Her weapons sat a little bit in front of her, where she had just missed landing on them.

Letting out another moan, she closed her eyes, trying to forget about the pain.


	25. Entrance to Lothlorien

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Disclaimer: Well…same old, same old. I _don't_ own LotR…no matter how much I would want to. 

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A/N: Well then…look! I've gotten another chapter out rather quick, don't you think? Let's see if I can keep this pace up, eh? Let's see…I've got 90 reviews….I'm for 100 now! ::grin:: Oh, and I finally did start writing that Star Wars fic…

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Falcyn Nathronoelei: LOL! Quite sorry to hear about your computer… :) Thanks for your lovely review! I started this story out finding that pain was the hardest thing to write…now it's sort of a bit fun…::grin:: And, yes, SUMMER IS GREAT! LOL

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Zeech: Hey! Lookers! I got this chapter up in less than a week! Woohoo! And, well…I s'pose I doubt Rogue is in that much of a condition to 'pull herself together'…::grin::

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Mithrildragon: Well, all I can say is keep trying to guess what's going to happen. Maybe one day you'll get it right…but for now, my twists and turns are fooling you! ::grin:: Which is exactly why I put them in there! As for another cameo…well, we'll see. It might work out… ::grin::

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Saige: Thanks for the review! I s'pose you'll just have to keep reading!

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Krissy: LOL! Don't feel stupid…no one has correctly guessed everything that I'm going to do yet. :) Plus, I like suggestion!

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Kiara: Hehe…I actually like raining weather…it's not that bad. Thanks for reviewing!

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Tara: Yay! Another new reader! I love new readers! Hehe!

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Chapter 25: Entrance to Lothlorien

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The rest of my life I'll take these chances  
Times goes by so very fast  
I'll share my fortune and my failure 'til there's nothing left

And if somewhere down the line  
I'll find I'm running out of time  
I hope to God that I can say  
I made the best of every day  
**-"My Life", Anouk**

Frodo turned around, facing the entrance of the corridor the Company had just entered. A large clattering of something somewhat heavy could be heard hitting the stone floor. Coming directly after it, a thick clunk had also sounded. Looking over at Legolas, who was right behind hi, he gave the Elf a questioning look. Noticing Frodo, Legolas gave a small nod in agreement that he had also heard something.

"Aragorn," he called out to the front of the line.

The King of Gondor had, in fact, already stopped and was looking curiously at where the sound came from. 

"Yes, I heard it also," he replied to Legolas. He seemed somewhat reluctant to go back and check on the sound, yet the Hobbits seemed determined. Rogue could have made the sound, and they were not about to continue on with their journey knowing they may have left a live member of their group behind.

Unsheathing his sword, Aragorn nodded to Legolas to give him the 'ok' to go ahead and lead the group towards the sound. With his bow ready, Legolas moved to what was now the front of the group and started walking towards where they had just came from. The Company walked carefully, slowly filing into the room where they had just sat for an hour. At first glance, they say nothing but the empty room that they just say before. Then, suddenly, they all seemed to notice a dark mound on the floor…under the hole in the ceiling. The light shinning into the room from the corridor glittered against a hilt of a sword, along with several other items, close to the unmoving object.

Exchanging glances, Aragorn moved towards the unknown mound, with Legolas following close behind. Kneeling, he moved the object that was laying on its side so it was now laying on its back. Legolas had already dropped his stance, now crouching on the floor, examining the three things that lay near the 'mound'. A soft moan, audible only to the Man and Elf by the figure, escape the object as Aragorn brushed the brown, mangled hair that sat on the figure's face.

Looking over at his companions, Aragorn gave a small smile. "It's Rogue."

Unsheathing the sword that lay on the ground along side of her, Legolas nodded in agreement and showed the rest of the group the sword. "This is hers…and so it the bow."

Finding that it was safe, everyone dropped their stances that they had held. Merry furrowed his brow. "She doesn't look too well…she isn't dead, is she?"

Aragorn gave a slight shake of his head. "No…although she is in rather bad condition." Turning towards the unconscious body, he quickly looked over the visible wounds. Then, accidentally moving her right leg, he frowned. Rogue's body, involuntarily, shuddered with pain. "I don't believe she will be able to walk for a while even when she awakes again…" Leaning down, he picked up the petite form and stood up. Legolas picked up her weapons, finding, however, that they were too bulky for him to hold all by hand.

"Boromir, he said, catching the Man's attention. He then gently tossed Rogue's sword and sheath, which Boromir caught easily.

With Gandalf leading the way, the group walked quickly and silently out of Moria and into the surrounding mountain and forest.

Looking at the sky, Aragorn spoke. "It looks to be only high noon…I wish to get to the edge of the forest so I can check to see how serious Rogue's wounds are…there we will stop for food, also."

The idea of food brightened Merry and Pippin's faces, and the idea of seeing the Lady again seemed to help Gimli's gruff personality. They traveled onwards at a fast pace, but not, it seemed, for fear of their lives. It was more of the idea that they would once more be within the forest of Lothlorien…

Around an hour or two into their traveling, Rogue awoke. She went unnoticed by the rest of the group, however, because she made special care not to fidget. It was not out of want of not being noticed, however, but the fear that whenever she moved pain would sear through her flesh. And so she stayed perfectly still, behind carried by Aragorn.

She dozed of several times, growing bred of not being able to do anything. As the hours passed, her spirit grew livelier. She did not wish to be carried…it showed weakness. Yet she figured she had no choice…unless, of course, she wanted to crawl. Closing her eyes, she decided she might sleep again…even when the nightmares still haunted her. As she began to sleep once more, he felt Aragorn stop moving. Only seconds later, she felt herself being laid upon the ground carefully. Opening her eyes slowly, she saw the Fellowship sitting around, resting, while Sam unpacked some of their remaining food. She watched on quietly, not wanting attention to be drawn towards her. It was only when Gandalf accidentally noticed Rogue with her eyes open that anyone looked a her.

"Ah…I see you have finally awoken," Gandalf said, smiling,

Giving a quick smile, not filled with emotion, Rogue responded. "Aye…it seems I have."

Finishing the little food he had, Aragorn walked over to Rogue. Sitting, he looked at her wounds once again. Touching her leg softly, he noted her reaction. The girl did not speak, yet she winced at the sudden pain.

"I do not believe that leg is broken…but badly twisted, perhaps. I fear there is little I can do for it…is there any other place, besides the open wounds, that causes pain?" He questioned softly.

Rogue remained silent for awhile, trying to decide whether or not to tell Aragorn of the one pain he had not noticed yet. It was not of her to tell people of her injuries…she normally tended to them herself. But now…

"The bones under my chest. That is the only other place that pains me."

Gimli walked over, holding a pot of freshly heated water. Murmuring a 'thank you', Aragorn started to taint that water with some plant that Rogue did not know. Athelas it was…something Aragorn used quite often when tending to injuries. Moving her shirt up to show her stomach and ribs, although never showing anything indecent, Aragorn bathed her skin in the water solution. He then moved onto the open cuts, careful not to open them even more. After he was finished, he looked at Rogue's injured right leg…that was covered by her pants. Trying to find a decent way to tending to the leg, his thoughts were cut short by Rogue.

"Don't worry about the leg…it will heal even without the medication."

Suddenly, Sam brought over a little bit of food he just got out of her bag. "Here you go, Miss Rogue. We don't' want you to go hungry."

Taking the food, Rogue smiled slightly, yet said nothing. Eating, she looked around further. They were, technically, in Lothlorien…but only slightly. She watched as Aragorn stood up and walked a little bit further into the woods with Legolas right behind him…they were looking, no doubt, for some inhabitants of the forest. Then she suddenly realized that other people were carrying her weapons. Legolas carried her bow and quiver…that she did not mind. Yet Boromir held her sword…

"Boromir, I better find you taking lovely care of my celevon rhîw*. If I find her scratched, you will find her in your throat."

"Celevon rhîw? Your sword, I may presume? Fear not…I have not scratched your sword. If there are any scratches, it comes from yourself." Boromir replied.

"I know I have not -"

Rogue stopped when she heard voices. She watched as Aragorn and Legolas returned…with another elf. His hair was a long blond…much like Legolas's, but his eyes were colder…harder. And his name was Haldir.

Coming upon the group, he gave a curt smile. "It is well to see all of you again. And most certainly you, Gandalf."

Smiling, Gandalf nodded his head in response.

Haldir continued. "You are all welcomed to come with Lothlorien…even the dwarf."

Rogue watched the elf coldly, unmoving. As Haldir finally looked over to where Rogue lay away from the rest of the group, his eyes widened. Turning quickly to Aragorn and Legolas, he began talking.

"The girl has traveled with you?"

Somewhat confused at Haldir's sudden change, Aragorn nodded. "Yes, of course. What is wrong?"

"She is dangerous…and not fit to be named an Elf. She lies and cheats…even to those she calls friends."

"We understand your concern, Haldir. But she is helping with the quest," Legolas countered.

"I can not allow her to enter Lothlorien."

"She is wounded…we can not leave her outside the forest, alone," Aragorn replied.

"I shall watch over her…just as I did with Gimli, the dwarf," Legolas continued.

Haldir looked uncertain, but finally relented. "Fine, she will be allowed in. But she must wear -"

Rogue smirked as she cut the other elf off. "I am aware of your customs here…but there is no reason to blind fold me as we go into Lothlorien to meet the Lady Galadriel. It is not as though I have not been here before…"

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* celevon rhîw - silver winter


	26. The Lady's Magic

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Disclaimer: Durn. I still don't own LotR!

This is a re-posting of this chapter because of the spelling mistakes, grammar mistakes, and punctuation mistakes. It was driving me crazy when I looked back at it. :-D This was the last chapter that I wrote before I went on my 'writer's block-streak'…so I believe that is why it was filled with so many glaring mistakes!

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A/N: Yay! I'm on a roll! Another chapter up in less than a week!

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Falcyn Nathronoelei: Hehe! Well…I think you're right when saying 'will forever remain a mystery'!

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Zeech: Hehe! I tried to add something funny in there…it was getting rather serious (although, this story IS serious…hrm…maybe there's a connections? ::grin::) Anyhoo…nice to find that Rogue has some supporters, eh?

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Saige: ::grin:: Thankies!

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Tara: LOL! I understand…I knew when I picked that name I might get a few people that would read it thinking about X-Men. Whatcha going to do? Hehe! 

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Kiara: Ah! Understandable…thanks for noticing my subtle (and sometimes not-so-subtle) hints!

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Chapter 26: The Lady's Magic

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Sleep   
Sleep tonight  
And may your dreams  
Be realized   
If the thundercloud   
Passes rain  
So let it rain   
Rain on him  
**-"MLK", U2**

Haldir looked at Rogue for a second, trying to decide whether or not to argue with her. There was no doubt that she was injured, yet her spirit was certainly not broken. He realized that arguing was foolish…especially since the Fellowship wished her to come along. Hoping that the Lord and Lady would not punish him too harshly for leading the betrayer into Lothlorien, he nodded.

"Very well. You will come into Lothlorien, your sight unhindered, such as your companions," Haldir finally spoke.

Victory sprung into Rogue's eyes. It was not often that Haldir backed down…but now was one of those times. As Sam picked up the rest of the Company's various equipment, such as the pot use to heat water, Aragon moved swiftly towards Rogue. About to complain that she didn't need or want the help, Rogue suddenly decided against it. Like before, she knew there was no way to walk on her own.

This time, however, in Aragorn's arms, she didn't grow as comfortable like she had in their journey towards Lothlorien. Watching Haldir keenly, she kept her sense alert for the other elves that normally traveled with Haldir. She hated when they were able to surprise her…or when they weren't around all together. When they weren't there, it normally meant they were reporting back to the Lord and Lady.

Haldir led the group at a rather leisurely pace. It was odd for the Elf…normally he walked briskly. His realization that there were Hobbits in the group must have slowed him down…not to mention his consideration for Aragorn, who was carrying the weight of Rogue, and even though her weight was little, was still, nonetheless, weight.

The strange group traveled through the gold-tipped forest, the setting sun creating shadows under the trees. A breeze sang around the long branches, a few lone birds joining the melody. The Fellowship looked around, taking in the beauty around them. They had all been blindfolded once they passed the river the last time they were here…but this time, they would be allowed to enjoy as the pleased.

Haldir stopped in front of a medium sized river. The rocks at the bottom were smooth from centuries of water running over them. Their grayish color seemed to be flocked with silver, reflecting the bright sunlight with a strange brilliance. The water ran clear, joyfully gurgling over the rocks. Small splashes overlapped the edge of the river, bringing up a tiny pebble or two that was not worthy enough to be among the ones along the bottom of the river.

Stepping in, Haldir led the group into the refreshing coolness of the river, followed by Legolas…then Aragorn. Gandalf, Boromir, Gimli, and the hobbits joined in slowly. As the group waded further into the river, they found the water went up to the Men's and Elves' midriff…meaning that the Hobbits and Gimli were almost fully submersed. Boromir walked alongside Merry and Pippin, helping to keep them afloat when their 'swimming' faltered. Gandalf did the same for Sam and Frodo, while watching, amused, as Gimli tried to battle against the water by himself. If he were not as weighted down, his efforts might have succeeded. Yet he was in armor…which sank him quicker than he had imagined. Boromir, who had, by now, strapped Rogue's word to his waist, also reached over to Gimli every few minutes to pull him above the water.

Haldir had been leading the group in a diagonal line down the river…both moving them across and further along in the rushing water. Stepping quickly onto the shore of the side opposite of where they began, Haldir waited until all the Fellowship had joined him upon the shore. The Hobbits, and Gimli, were quite a site to see - drenched from head to toe, inhaling deeply as they tried to get over their exertion from trying to swim against the water.

As they all gathered together on the shore, Haldir promptly started to lead them onwards. The gold-roofed forest seemed to vibrate with magic and the leaves shuddered with every breeze. As they walked on, the elves of Lothlorien left their hiding places among the trees ad continued their regular activities. Some, however, just watched the group curiously from their homes or lounging underneath a large tree. Looking up, the Company noticed flooring built among the branches. Bed rolls sat, empty, on the sturdy elf-rooms.

"Haldir," a pale-skinned elven maid said as she walked towards the group from some trees in front of them.

Stopping so he could converse with the teenaged elf, the Fellowship watched.

"What is it, Tewiel?"

"The Lady has requested the one known as 'Rogue' be looked upon by Málad. She says 'she is no good with only one leg'." As the girl finished her statement, she let her gaze slip from Haldir to the Fellowship behind him. Her gaze was expecting…looking from each member of the group, seeing which one would say they went by the name 'Rogue'. As she looked at each one, her eyes rested on Rogue, who was sitting restlessly in Aragorn's arms. She looked familiar…but she couldn't place where she had seen her before.

"I have no need of the Lady's help," Rogue spat.

In return, the girl only gave a gracious smile. "Perhaps not…but if you were to allow Málad to look upon your wounded leg, we could make a fair judgement."

With a cold, defiant stare, Rogue answered, "And if I allow you to do this, will you force your strange solutions upon me?"

"No, of course not, Rogue. We force not anyone to do anything. If you feel you are not in need of whatever we may give you, you may throw it out before it touches your skin."

Rogue sighed reluctantly. "Fine. If the Lady wills it, I shall have to follow…or be hounded by her minions for the rest of my time here."

Smiling, Tewiel gave a slight bow, then turned to Haldir and did he same. Looking over her shoulder, she sent her gentle voice over to Aragorn. "If you would follow me…"

Nodding, he began to follow her. She led in a fast-paced footing, a pace normal to Lothlorien elves that did many small tasks. Tewiel walked off the main path and led further into the woods. The large trees towered above them, almost blocking the setting sun and barely visible moon. The evening breeze brought a sharp coolness, rustling the sparkling gold-painted leaves on the trees' branches. They walked on, through an endless amount of forest, passing the folk of Lothlorien.

As they walked up to a tree with a particularly large platform in its branches, an elven man came out from behind its trunk. Smiling thankfully, he motioned towards the ground by the tree's trunk. "Thank you for going out of your way and bringing Rogue here. The Lady thanks you. Here, you may set her down over here."

Nodding, Aragorn walked over to the spot that was mentioned and carefully placed Rogue down. He set her so she was sitting comfortably, her back against the tree. Feeling as though he had done a thorough job, he backed up and looked at the elven healer.

Before he could speak, the healer shook her head with a kindly smile. "Go back to your companions now…the Lady wishes to see all of you again. I will find someone who will move Rogue if she still needs such help."

Taking a glance back at Rogue, Strider once again nodded to show he had heard. Rogue, it seemed, had grown sour over their short trip to find the elvish healer. Perhaps, he thought, it was the idea of her having to be seen being carried in front of many people…the elves of Lothlorien.

He turned and followed Tewiel, who had been waiting for Aragorn. As they walked off, Rogue and the healer could hear Tewiel faintly. "You will find your Company right where you separated from them. Haldir wishes for you to be within the Fellowship when the Lady sees them once more."

Rogue's eyes widened slightly as she replayed Aragorn's glance at her throughout her mind. Her eyes had met his for that second and she became lost within the strange picture before her. Valar, it wasn't love that coursed through her mind…not even the love for a fellow companion on a quest. No, that was certainly not it. Yet she grew lost in the deep, grey eyes…It was as if time had suddenly no meaning and she was looking into the eyes of one of her father's friends. The one she had called -

"Mithren-heneb dúnaden*," She murmured.

So lost in her new revelation that she had not even realized the healer had been speaking to her.

"I'm sorry…I didn't catch what you said. Can you repeat it?" He asked kindly.

Rogue shook her head, just as much as to clear her mind as to tell the healer 'no'. "Never mind. It was not of importance."

Kneeling down beside her, he gently took her right leg into his hands and began examining it while talking. "My name is Málad….it is an amazing thing to see you here. From their stories I have heard, I believed you would not set foot upon this forest, or the ones guarding the edges would not let you in." Still gently bending and touching her leg, he noted the grimace she created when he bent her leg at her knee. Murmuring to himself, he gently touched the area in which the muscles were sprained. "Ah…yes. Certainly not a break, or even a fracture. But perhaps…a nasty twist. And what could you have done to get this as an injury?"

Rogue looked around at the silent forest. It was peaceful…and she would have felt almost…calm, had Málad not been messing with her leg. She took a deep breath, determined not to vocally express her pain. Instead, her face distorted into different grimaces. Waiting a few moments before she spoke, she became nonchalant…except when her leg was bent. "Many would believe I would not appear in places…I tend to prove most wrong." She ignored his last question and kept her voice definite. Málad gave up trying to speak with her, knowing the questions he had would no be answered.

Laying Rogue's leg down gently, he moved over to the tree trunk and gracefully climbed up it, landing quietly onto the platform. Leaning over a group of bottles strewn across his floor, he picked two odd ones. The first seemed to be of maple syrup consistency, with a pale yellow color. The seconds of the two bottles was thin, running much like water. A dark, olive green colored it, along with black speckles of something unknown.

Leaning down once again, Málad picked up a finely crafted glass from a pile he had by his vials. Taking the three items into his hands, he whisked down the tree, standing in front of Rogue, smiling. The glass he held was lovely…it seemed to be made for wine. The base had intricate vines and flowers carved into it, with some of the vines "growing" upward and were found on the upper part of the cup. Kneeling down next to Rogue, he placed the bottle holding the yellow liquid on the ground. Then, he unscrewed the cap from the bottle containing the green liquid. Holding the glass in his left hand, he poured the green liquid into the cup so that it filled halfway. Re-screwing the cap back on, he now picked up the vile holding the yellow liquid and opened it. Málad poured it into the glass slowly, stopping when the glass was 3/4 full.

Smiling, he handed the glass to an uncertain Rogue. Picking up his bottles, he returned back up his tree to place them back in their spots. Rogue held the glass carrying the near-blue mixture delicately in her right hand. Raising her voice, she questioned it. "What is the need for this solution?"

The healer smiled at her as he made his way, once again, down from his sleeping quarters. "It is to help with your leg."

The news seemed to clarify nothing for Rogue. "I wish not take it. I know not what it could do."

The elf gave a little chuckle. "You are right to question such a mixture. I know not what it will do, for each time I use it, it does something different. It does only what the Lady bids it to…I wold drink it if given to me. I believe you will find yourself walking once again sooner than you expected. I promise you, no harm shall come about you…it is not in my blood to harm anything living. It is why I am a healer."

Rogue looked down on her glass, silent. The fingers on her left-hand carefully traced the edge of the glass as she tried to decide what to do. Closing her eyes, she allowed the Lady Galadriel to use a small amount of magic through the potion. Letting the fluid slide down her throat, she was surprised to find that flavor much like water tainted with a small amount of strawberries. Tracing the edges of the now empty glass with her fingers, she let her mind drift into a muddle of thoughts. Her eyes slowly closed, allowing herself to slowly fall asleep once more.

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* Mithren-heneb dúnaden - elvish for: gray-eyed man, look back on Chapter 21


	27. A Death in the Past

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Disclaimer: Durn. I still don't own LotR!

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A/N: Argh…I'm terribly sorry about the lack of updates. Well, I haven't updated in…what? A month? Or something like that…well, I guess you can say that I was having a major form of writer's block. It wasn't that I couldn't sit down and spit out another chapter…it was that I was at the point that everything I wrote I felt as though was terrible…I'm not sure why, but it was just getting to be like that. I was just starting to get back into the writing mood this week…and then, today, I decided to read some fanfiction…something I haven't done in a long time. Part of the writer's block, really. But I got hooked on "To Have and to Hold"…a Legolas love fic, but I really well written one. But to make a small story even shorter, after I got finished reading it's 38 chapters (and I think more's coming...hopefully), I found myself wanting more. And I noticed again how much fun it was to get hooked onto a good fanfiction. Then my thoughts turned to this story…and well, I really want to finish this story. I've planned it all out...and I just hope that everybody enjoys it as much as I enjoy writing it…even though I forgot how much fun I got out of writing for awhile. Thank you for everybody that is still reading this fic, and for everybody else that wandered in, thinking it looked interesting. I write because I love to…and to please readers. Without knowing that someone out there is reading my work, I find that it isn't as pleasing to post my work :-D Anywho! Thanks for listening to me through all of that! Onto the story! 

REVIEW! Don't forget that detail! I thrive off of REVIEWS! :-D

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Kiara: Hah-hah! Good at updating, eh? Only when I'm in the mood…and the last month, I was _not_ in the mood! But at least I've finally got the mood back! Woohoo! :-D Thanks for your support!

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Sharpe's Girl: Don't worry about criticizing me! I knew that there had to be at least one person in the world (probably a lot more, too) that didn't just find my stories absolutely wonderful and nothing was wrong with them. I understand what you mean about the characters 'being in character, but not'. I think I've been noticing this as I wrote the story, too, although I think their personalities are coming out how I want them to…and trying to stay close to the books. I think one major reason why they might be 'different' is that I'm putting them in a totally different situation. Sure, they've done quests and fought before…but this time, they're fighting against something that they don't know. And thanks for thinking my plot's original….I took a long time to figure it out…so I definitely think it's original. I haven't seen another story with the same plot as mine yet (woohoo!) And yes, I did figure that my story might get slightly confusing for people. I hope that at the end of the story, you will be able to look back and finally understand some of the more subtle things that I have added…such as Rogue's past. :-D Thanks for reading!

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Saige: That's perfectly alright! :-D Thanks for still reading!

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Chapter 27: A Death in the Past

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Somebody told me   
You were not coming home today  
The words are spinning in time  
And the air suddenly went cold 

The sun is still shining  
But everything feels like rain, oh  
And if I had one wish   
It would be to see you again   
**-"How Come the World Won't Stop", Anastacia**

As Rogue's eyes slowly closed, she heard Málad move quietly away, obviously going to another part of the Woods that wouldn't distract Rogue. Squirming slightly so that her back rested more comfortably on the tree trunk behind her, she gently placed the now-empty cup on the ground next her…not bothering to move her hand again. Letting her other hand curl comfortably around her midriff, her head tilted, coming to rest on her left shoulder. Her eyelids opened slightly, in faint refusal of the slightly magic that the Lady had offered her through the potion, but they slowly shut…leaving her ears to be the only things that were still slightly aware of the woods around her. 

Rogue's breathing deepened as she felt the comforting edges of sleep start to engulf her mind. The sounds around her did nothing to keep her awake…the happily chirping birds, along with a random buzzing insect swooping by, actually helped the calmness around her. The trees rustled slightly from the wind's breath, and at the same time, Rogue slightly felt the tip of the wind's fingertips slid across her face…by her right cheek, kissing her nose, and then gently caressing her left cheek. 

A small smile, one not seen often, played upon her lips as her half-awake state allowed her to enjoy the moment. But as the sleep slowly started to work even more upon her, the smile faded into a content sigh. The dark edges that had been flitting around the crevices of her mind finally came out and worked amazingly fast…within what seemed like seconds, she had lost all consciousness.

But even the gentle woods around her could not help her dreams become just as reassuring as the woods had the few minutes before sleep had taken her. And although her face stayed content, her dreams held only discontent for her…things that she would rather not see…and just forget.

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The snow had finally melted from around the mountain-city of Elithir and many of its inhabitants were outside…shopping, drying clothes, chopping wood for the fires at night, or running around, enjoying the fresh ground beneath their feet. 

The sun shone, creating glimmers within the grass where the last of snow had still to be melted. The trees had regained most of their foliage…and the birds were outside once more, flittering happily between perches, singing down to the people below them. There was even a fox or two that had strayed closer than normal to the village because the snow had finally melted. 

It was a lovely day. There was no breeze, but there needn't be when there was still crispness in the air from the receding winter. 

A little away from the main paths, a cottage, for lack of a better word, sat, carved into a small hill. The windows had been pulled open, allowing the sunlight and the air to come into the house. Inside, in the main room, a brown-haired girl, who looked the age of about 12 or 13, sat at a desk, hunched over something that she was writing. In her hand, she held a silver-tipped, black feather quill, which she was using to furiously scratch away her words on some parchment. From the looks of it, she was not writing a letter…it seemed she was merely writing her thoughts, a journal, perhaps. A letter, folded neatly and closed with a seal…some cheap, plain candle wax and a hand-made circular piece of tree trunk with an exquisite 'A' carved into it, sat carefully nearby the girl, in the corner of the desk. 

She wore tan leather pants with a loose fitting, light blue tunic. It was not the most remarkable outfit one has ever seen…but she did not seem to be going out for any particular reason. Just sitting enjoying herself in her home.

No one else seemed to be in the house at the moment, though it was obvious that she was no where near old enough to be taking care of herself fully. But she managed to keep the house decently tidy…

As she scribbled some more words down on the paper, her waist-length brown hair slide in front of her face. Letting out a frustrated growl, she grabbed it and pulled it behind her ears. With her hair out of the way, it was obvious, by her pointed ears, that she was elvish. 

She hummed slightly to herself, her voice able to carry a note…but that was about it. It was painfully obvious her voice would not be living up to the lore of elvish singing. So enthralled with her humming and writing, she did not hear the pair of horses clamoring down the path towards her little home. 

The hooves padded against the bare ground, kicking up rocks here and there. Their riders expertly slowed them down so that they stopped several feet from the entrance of the hill-home. The strangers carefully, and silently, walked towards the door of the home…and one rapped his knuckles quickly against the wooden door.

The sudden sound produced a gasp from the girl, who looked quickly over towards the door. Laying her quill down gently, she hopped off of her chair, showing that she was painfully short…less that five feet it seemed…though she would grow slightly taller as she aged. After neatly pushing the chair back in its place she walked towards the door, believing it was one of her slightly distant neighbors coming to check in on her. Opening the door without hesitation, she looked at the strangers…and realization dawned on her as she saw who it was.

"Elrohir! Elledan! I hadn't expected you…" The girl grinned. She stepped back to allow the elves to enter, which, it seemed, was built for a tall elf. 

The dark-haired elves looked down at the girl, smiling kindly. One of them, it was impossible to tell which, laughed at the eagerness of the girl. "Well met, I see."

"Of course! What goes wrong around here?" The girl replied cheekily. 

The elf that hadn't spoken to her looked around the room sullenly, as if he had not wished to come. The elven girl took no notice, though, and started to head towards the kitchens…which was just past the desk, she had sat at earlier. The more amiable elf, Elledan, it ended up being, looked at Elrohir with a strange mixture of calmness, sadness, and strength. His glance at his brother was carefully concealed, making sure the girl had her back towards the two before they made eye contact…obviously sharing some knowledge that the girl did not know of yet.

As the girl was about to walk past the desk, realization sprung to her eyes…and left a twinkling happiness in them. She walked closer to the desk, her hand rested upon the folded and sealed letter, almost picking it up. Whirling around to face the twins, she grinned excitedly. "I had thought I would send this letter down to Imladris…with someone from the village, of course, but now that you're here…oh! Can one of you take this to my Father? I know he rides with you often…you and Mithren-heneb dúnaden," As she spoke, she used her nickname for the friend of her father…the one that seemed so regal, yet she could never remember his name. The grey-eyed Man named Arathorn. 

Pain spread through out Elrohir's face, though it seemed to come from inside…not from a physical wound. He spoke nothing, not trusting himself to be able to relay the news to the young girl. Elledan, sensing his brother was not going to speak, took up the job. "Anédia…" He began.

But the girl paid no attention. "And Father has told me he enjoys my letters when he is away from me…please say you'll take it to him! And he might give you a return letter…you don't have to bring it here yourself, of course…just could you send someone…_anyone_…here to give it to me? How I love it when I here news from Father…"

"Anédia…" Elledan repeated, more firmly this time.

This time the girl stopped, smiling. "What is it? You'll take it?"

The elf's eyes seemed to grow stormy as he sighed and ran a hand through his dark, almost black, hair. "We already have news from your father."

This excited the girl, who practically squealed and looked like she was going to burst. "Oh, what is it? What is it? Please tell me…"

"Calm down, Little One," Elrohir finally spoke, his voice gentle and reassuring. Anédia shut her mouth, looking curiously at the two tall elves before her. She had met them a few times before, and never had they been so…well, sullen. She pushed it out of her mind and a grin broke out on her face. 

Elledan once again took control of speaking to her. "…It is true we have news from your father…" The dark-haired elf was reluctant to continue, especially with Anédia's smiling face looking at him expectantly. And so he decided to just spit it out. "Anédia…he is dead. He died a week ago…we could not come any sooner…"

The grin feel instantly from her face. She blinked, as if waiting for her father to walk into the door, grinning, and tell her it was all on elaborate joke. She started looking frantically looking around the room, not really looking for anything in particular, and shaking her head furiously. "No…no…I know you know my father…but you must have mixed him up with another elf. He couldn't have been killed…oh, he couldn't. He fought so wonderfully…"

Elledan nodded his head grimly. "That he did…but, I tell you the truth. There is no question as to whether it was him or not. Anédia, we…me and Elrohir…we were riding with your father when it happened. We saw the whole thing, and, Anédia, we tried to help him…but there was nothing we could do."

She suddenly broke. Batting her eyelashes to try and keep the tears from coming, which only succeeded in making them come faster, she leaned against the desk for support. "No…no…it can't be. Father wouldn't die…" As she babbled on, mostly to herself, her voice broke from the her emotions.

A wave of compassion washed over Elrohir as he watched the girl. "Now, now…Little One...all will be alright in time." His voice vibrated calmly towards Anédia, somewhat helping her to try and subdue her tears…with no effect. Elrohir continued on, though he seemed not to want to…he wished to leave the girl to grieve and not make her think about even more things. But that was not an option. "We realize this…was unexpected…but you can't live here yourself…."

Anédia suddenly looked up at them, her cheeks glistening from the freshly fallen tears, and more about to come. "And…and…why can't I? The village…will…make sure…I am alright…" She spoke between sobs.

The twins exchanged glances. They had not expected the girl to want to continue living in the house…

Elrohir, being the more comforting of the two, walked closer to the girl and kneeled down before her. Taking her face in his hand, he gave a reassuring smile. "We know you don't wish to leave…but our father…you remember Lord Elrond, don't you?" When she nodded, he continued. "Wishes you to live with us…in Imladris." She looked like she was going to speak again about how she was capable of living on her own, but he cut her off. "And Arwen. Arwen is about your age, and she would love to have you around…"

Anédia only kept sobbing this time, not moving, and not talking. She looked carefully at the floor, not wishing to look in the eyes of either elf. 

"Little One…you have to come with us. You'll like it in Imladris…now, we would like to make it back down before nightfall…and father will you be expecting us to be with us. Anédia, please…we must leave soon…and we know that this is all rather sudden…but you must trust us on this issue. Can you go and pack some things? We'll wait here…." His voice was now more commanding, though still gentle, and the girl did not argue. Trying to dry her tears, and only partially succeeding, she retreated towards the back rooms. 

In a small hallway, she turned into a room on the left. It was obviously her room, from the writings strewn across the floor and dresser. Her tears had managed to stop coming, finding it hard to pack and cry at the same time. She grabbed a large, grey woven bag that sat limply by her door. With it in her hands, she went to her dresser and blindly grabbed some of the clothes within, not paying attention to what it was exactly that she was picking up. She shoved several handfuls of clothes into the bag, leaving the rest in the dresser. She looked around, trying to find other things that she wished to bring along with her…and grabbed some random parchment that had been written on. She put that into her bag, also, although a bit more gently than the clothes. 

Her gaze fell onto the beautifully made bow, and quiver, that leaned against the wall in a corner. She walked over to it, picking it up, and gently fingering it. A single tear fell down her cheek as she remembered her father had given the bow and quiver to her right before he had left for this latest trek. And he had promised to teach her how to use it when he had gotten back. 

She went to set it back down, not finding any reason for bringing it along, but then thought twice about it. Strapping it along her back so that it would be more comfortable for her to carry, she quickly grabbed the quiver, also. And then she realized that she didn't have her sword…the weapon that she _did_ know how to use. Getting on her hands and knees, she scooted over so that she was next to her bed, and then groped underneath it. And triumphant smile spread across her face as her hand touched hard metal…and pulled it out. It was the sword that the Mithren-heneb dúnaden had given her…and then a thought came to her. _Mithren-heneb dúnaden._ He had acted almost as a father to her. Perhaps he would look after her…

With the silver, curved sword clutched tightly, she walked out so she was standing in the hallway entrance, looking inquisitively at the twin elves. Before they could speak, she tentatively voiced her idea. "Mithren-heneb dúnaden…." She paused, to see if they knew whom she was talking about. Amazingly, they did. Her father must've told them, she thought. "Well…my father was a close friend of his…I am sure he would be willing to look after me…."

This idea just brought pain to Elrohir's face and he quickly looked away, leaving Elledan to explain. 

"…Anédia…Arathorn is dead, too."

A look of complete shock crossed her already tear-stricken face. "…But…how?"

Realizing he would have to give her the whole explanation, he patiently told her. "We all…me, Elrohir, your Father, and Arathorn, were riding through the woods, a little away from Imladris. Hunting, to be exact…and…I'm not sure why we didn't notice, but some orcs had been stumbling around in the woods. They were still a far ways off…which is why I suppose we didn't notice. But one of their arrows pierced his eye…and he died instantly…" He paused, making sure that Anédia didn't take too badly to the news. Then he continued. "We attacked, then…but there were more of them than us…and we were quickly separated…and enough of them surrounded your father. He killed many of them, but it took only one to kill him…" He trailed off, not wanting to speak anymore.

Anédia wished the same thing, and had vanished in the hallway again, but this time going into another room. It was next to hers…all the way at the end of the hallway. Her father's room. She stood in the doorway, looking at the portrait that had been painted of her several years ago. Her father had originally wanted to move it to the main room…but found it more comforting in his room. And so that is where it had been kept. 

She struggled against the tears again, and hastily walked into the main room, her weapons and bag clutched tightly to her chest. Without a word, the twins followed Anédia out of the door, closing it behind them. The mounted their horses, and Elrohir picked the young elvish girl up by the waist, lifting her up to sit on the horse, in front of him.

The three elves then made the journey towards Imladris, the silence chipping into their nerves. Several times Anédia could not help her tears and they came falling, but tried to control them. Elledan and Elrohir stuck in their own minds…thinking about the elf's death, or thinking about something entirely different, it was hard to say…

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Rogue's head moved slightly as her eyelids slowly opened to reveal the woods around her…and an almost setting sun. Moving her head upright, she lifted a hand up to her cheek…only to find the stickiness of a tearstain on it. She brushed the sadness…and emptiness…that the dream had brought to her away. _That was along time ago…_she admonished herself. 

Feeling her legs cramping, she instinctively stretched them out…only to find that her injured leg no longer was sprained. It pained only slightly…but it was more than bearable. She slowly pushed herself up, testing out her leg…and it held her weight. Glancing around, she noticed a garment had been dropped off for her. The fading light of the now setting sun came through the trees and landed all around the area…and helped illuminate the garment so she could see it better. Picking it up by the collar, she let it unfurl. It was a dress…elvish made, of course, and a sparkling emerald green.

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Damn her to Mordor. Rogue silently cursed bitterly.

She sighed reluctantly, knowing that it the change of clothes would be welcome to her body…and she was sure that the ones on her back wouldn't mind taking a slight rest. But _why_ did the Lady _have_ to give her a dress?!

Slipping off her clothes and leaving them in a pile near the trunk of the tree, she quickly put the new garment on. It was loose fitting…which would be nice to sleep in. It went to the ground, barely covering her feet while the sleeves stayed loose fitting throughout her arm. The only part of the dress that wasn't completely loose was the chest area…that was where the dress allowed itself to become more stretched against her skin. The neckline came down to right above her chest, the shape of it in an almost heart.

Looking down at her clothes, she figured that another elf would come along soon enough, under the Lady's orders, and grab them…and if not, she would come back herself and grab them. She looked around once more, noticing the shimmering leaves of the trees above her, and then started to walk the way the elvish guide had brought Aragorn and her to this spot. She limped slightly from the dull pain in her leg, but it was no longer sprained…it would only take a day or two for that pain to fade. But the pain under her chest had not been healed…it had, however, abated slightly from Aragorn's medication…but it would be slightly longer for it to heal all the way. She gingerly caressed the painful part of her midriff for a few seconds, making fairly good progress to where she suspected the Fellowship and the Lord and Lady to be waiting.

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Mithren-heneb dúnaden - elvish for: gray-eyed man, look back on Chapter 21 

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Well…there ya go! Another chapter! Woohoo! Anyways, please, please, please press that lil' button and review m' story! I'll love ya forever!


	28. A Talk With the Lady

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Disclaimer: Durn. I still don't own LotR!

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A/N: Woot! Another chapter! *does the 'no-more-writers-block dance* Oh, and from what I'm planning this chapter out to be…well it'll be fairly short. Sorry…it's not the writer's block, I swear!

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REVIEW! REVIEW! WOOHOO!! C'mon…give me some reviews! Oh, and thanks to everyone to help me get past the '100-review' benchmark!

NOTE: Just to clear up any confusion, Rogue has not come to the realization that Aragorn is Arathorn's son. Although she's smart, she can be dense when it comes to some things. She knows he had a son, because she heard about him several times, but never met him or heard his name. Arathorn died when Aragorn was two (according to LotR), and Arathorn left no note or such thing to let Aragorn know about his friend elf and the elf's daughter. So Aragorn knows nothing of his father knowing Rogue. Hope that clears up somethings! Oh, yes, Rogue went to live at Rivendell…and so did Aragorn (with his mother), which everybody knew. With Elrond giving Aragorn a different name…and not speaking much about Arathorn, Rogue never made the connection about the little child and Arathorn. You'll find out more about the life at Rivendell in later chapters. :-D

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RubyDragon: Ah, well, I heard about the upset. I'm sort of glad I wasn't here for it…it probably would of tried me nerves any who. :-D Thanks for liking the chapter…and, see, at least I don't give you a whole bunch of unanswered questions and then never answer them. Heh heh! Of course, you might have to wait until the end of the fic to find out all of the answers…we'll see. As for the Aragorn thing…I think I've cleared it up in the note above. Woot!

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Nathronoelei: Hello! :-D Nice to see I still have a faithful reader. Ah, you were probably right in getting worried…I might have gone even longer in not writing if I didn't come to my senses. Heh heh! :-D

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Sherri: Hey! Thanks for reviewing! I love to hear from m' readers…and thanks for liking my writing style. I'm trying to make Rogue believeable… :-D Nice to see that at least it's working sometimes, eh? Oh, and go ahead and put your input in for the relationship. He heh! I love to see what people think is going to happen. *innocent look* And what makes you so certain that I'm going to have romance in this? *evil cackle*

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Chapter 28: A Talk with the Lady

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And I remember, and I recall   
And I can see that nothing's changed at all  
Though we falter, we don't have to fall  
And I can see that nothing's changed at all 

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-"Nothing's Changed", The Calling

Rogue trudged through the forest, finally making it back to the main path. It had taken her only a few minutes, but the silence speaking around her had made it seem like much longer. As she walked along the path, hearing a few elves from platform homes murmuring to themselves, she disguised her astonishment for the Woods. The thin leaves, rustling above her head, moving to each slight touch of the breeze, and the path, unhindered by fallen leaves. The trees themselves stood, the strength of Lothlorien…their thick trunks were worn away in spots, creating indentations and a few smooth surfaces along them. The sun glinted right above the horizon, not quite being swallowed by the land underneath it. It cast an orange haze around the wood and shadows played merrily under the slightly moving tendrils of leaves that hung from the trees.

The elven girl kept all of her observations to herself. Lothlorien was a magnificent place…and nothing in the world could compare to it. But she knew that she mustn't give into it's endearing magic…it was, she figured, what the Lady hoped for. It had the chance of changing her mind on several things that she had decided on years before. 

The loose fitting emerald dress wrapped itself around her legs as a deep wind blew, making her walk awkward for a couple of minutes until the wind ceased its rampage. The brown earth path seemed to go on forever…yet she knew that she had not mistaken her directions and _was_ going in the correct way. She had been to Lothlorien two times before…and the Woods was not a place that one easily forgot. 

And then the leafy palace stood many feet in front of her, appearing behind the corner that had hidden it. A small smile played on her lips, though not from pleasure of seeing the grand tree-palace. It was more for self-recognition that she had proof now that she _had_ been walking in the correct direction.

She walked faster to get to the palace, closing the space between her and the winding staircase easily. Several times she had to change the way she was running to ease the discomfort in her chest, but she ignored the throbbing of her leg. Stopping at the foot of the stairs, she looked up. Guards were around, of course, but the normal nobles and such weren't. _It must be the on-coming night…_ she thought, trying to figure out why the elves had gone to their platforms. The only other reason, she figured, was that they didn't want to be around where she would be.

Rogue shrugged it off and started lightly padding up the stairs. They wound around a thick trunk that must have been at least ten arm-lengths around…but most likely more. As she reached the top of the stairs, she hopped onto the last "step"…the platform itself. The elves had created it so that there were, in fact, rooms...and walls, and even a light ceiling. As she walked into the small, enclosed room, she spent no time looking around. She walked to the door, which had two guards by it, and looked at them menacingly. She had expected them to draw their daggers…or at least tell her that the Lady would not see her then…but all they did was give a curt nod and looked forward.

She muttered something under her breath, a curse, perhaps, and opened the door slightly. Walking in, she found her companions sitting, quite comfortably, in an almost semi-circle. Two small, wooden tables had been set up, only the height of a foot-rest, and small pieces of food had been placed on trays on them. On the other side, the Lady Galadriel and Lord Celeborn sat.

All the talking had ceased when Rogue walked in the room…and they all suddenly turned their gazes towards her. Luckily, although she had not expected to find them so soon, Rogue was not unnerved about this. She gave a small, cordial, and almost sarcastic smile towards Galadriel, and reluctantly nodded her head in respect. The Lady, in return, smiled back (which had Gimli looking over at her, and not Rogue), and spoke.

"Nae saian luume'…"

Rogue grunted slightly in response. _'It has been long'_, _she says…as if she knew not why I refuse to come to the Woods…_ Rogue thought coarsely to herself. "Elen sila lumenn omentilmo," Rogue responded, her voice sounding slightly strained from keeping it cordial.

The Fellowship seemed slightly startled…or at least amused…to hear Rogue speak in the elven tongue. She normally spoke the Common Tongue…a smile flickered on Legolas's lips, as one did on Strider's, too. Gandalf kept remarkably nonchalant as Gimli furrowed his brow, trying to figure out if Rogue had just insulted the Lady. Frodo seemed to be mixture of Gandalf's and Strider's reaction, while the rest of them seemed utterly confused. A conversation had been going on in a language they didn't understand.

Legolas leaned down to Merry, who was sitting next to him, and chuckled. "The Lady greeted her by speaking, 'It has been long.' "

Merry nodded, the confusion on his face clearing. "But what did Rogue say?" The Hobbit whispered back.

" 'A star shine on the hour of our meeting'," Aragorn responded for Legolas.

Gimli shifted, eyeing Rogue warily, as if he did not trust her response. 

The Lady looked at Rogue, her smile now slightly amused. "'Rogue'? Is that what people call you now, Anédia?"

This, for some reason, seemed to upset Rogue. She let out a low, almost growlish sound, as she replied. "That is what everybody _has_ called me for years now, but you refuse to see it…"

Gimli, at that moment, looked as if he were going to stand up and swipe off Rogue's head with his axe. Had it not been for Aragorn's steadying hand on his shoulder, he might've done it, too. 

The Lady brushed off her comment, though Celeborn looked as though he would not forget as quickly. "Come, eat some and rest your feet. Your companions already have…" Her voice spoke melodiously. 

Rogue's eyes flicked towards the food, just as Pippin picked up a small, chocolate-looking éclair…with a white cream coming out of it. "I would prefer not."

The Lady regarded her for a few seconds, before turning back to the Fellowship. "It is good to find that you did not come across as many creatures wishing ill upon you on this quest yet."

Aragorn let out a dry chuckle, as Pippin paled slightly from remembrance of what had happened on their way to Lothlorien.

"I would not say that, Lady," Aragorn's deep voice replied, with a tinge of his on recollections of the group's adventures so far.

Galadriel smiled knowingly, her golden hair framing her face…bringing a nice contrast to her pale skin and pink lips. "I realize you all have been through much so far, but you still have everybody you set out with…take joy in that!"

The Lady's memorizing voice spoke more, but Rogue had been looking around, stopping on another golden-haired elven guard that was standing slightly behind the Lord and Lady. Haldir. He was watching her venomously, and once Rogue noticed him, she returned a glare just as malicious. He shifted, allowing a dagger hilt to come into view, the setting sun glinting across it. It was obviously a silent warning for Rogue…she was being watched carefully, and he would not find it hard to fight her if she did anything wrong.

Rogue looked back at the Lord and Lady of Lothelorien suddenly, hearing Celeborn's voice ring out. "Now, I believe you all must get some rest. You have traveled much in such a short time."

The Fellowhsip stood, along with the Lord and Lady, and exchanged various words of thanks. Rogue took no part in this cordial activitity, and, instead, opened the door and waited for the rest of the group in the small room that led outside. Back in the other room, Aragorn's laughter could be heard, as well as Gimli's rough voice speaking praise of the Lady. The Hobbits were the first to exit…perhaps because they were closest to the door, perhaps because they were in the most need of a sleep. Legolas followed, along with Gimli, and then, finally, Boromir and Aragorn. 

There were no words as the Company started to walk down the skillfully made steps. At the bottom, they found another elven girl, blond hair…with a tint of red, waiting to lead them to the tents that had been put up for them for the night.

The sun had completely set now, and the half-moon hung carefully in the sky, the twinkling stars surrounding it throughout the sky. The light given off by the white half-orb cascaded down through the trees, caressing the ground on which the Fellowship's feet walked upon. There was no sound from within the Woods, except for an occasional elf in its platform…and the soft chirping of the crickets hidden within the full, green bushes. 

The girl, once around the corner and the palace could no longer be seen, turned right. Her feet barely seemed to touch the ground as she walked briskly through the dark woods. Shadows enveloped corners by trees, but left, of course, no ominous feelings. The Hobbits seemed to be perfecting how to sleep and walk at the same time, seeing as though Pippin tripped over his own feet quite a few times. Legolas was, as always, looking at the splendor of the Woods…even at night, the magic thrummed through the tree's branches and passed through the air, whispering its secrets.

The girl started to slow down as they neared a river…not a special one of any sorts, just a clear, gurgling river. Almost near the water's edge, to the left of them, there were five deep green tents set up. Without saying a word, the girl left. 

The weariness that had set upon the Hobbits now seemed to set upon everyone else, including Rogue, and they trudged towards the tents. They doubled up…Aragorn and Boromir, Legolas and Gimli, Gandalf and Rogue, Sam and Frodo, and Pippin and Merry. 

Without breaking the night's silence, they set upon becoming comfortable. Legolas, Frodo, and Aragorn all went separate ways along the river, finding a clear and concealed place to bathe their dirty bodies. Sam went upon looking at what supplies they had left…finding that they only had a piece of bread and a piece or two of salted meat…and decided that he would have to ask for more supplies from the elves. Pippin and Merry seemed to be dozing off as they waited for someone to come back from their bathing so that they could wash off and then return to sleep. Gandalf merely watched the stars, much like Boromir, though the Steward of Gondor didn't watch the stars…just seemed to stare and think about something unknown.

Rogue, seeing her chance to move away and be by herself for a little bit, quietly started to walk right…down the river. She stayed a fair ways away from the river, making sure she didn't accidentally stumble upon one of the men bathing, her hands running against the rough barks of the trees' trunks.

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She had walked for several minutes until she believed she was a fair ways away from the Fellowship's camp. She walked down further, closer to the riverbank, stopping right above where the water licked at the ground. Bending down, she took of the flexible cloth that she used as shoes and moved them behind her. Stepping down, further the fresh water, she closed her eyes, as content as she had been in a long while. The cool water flowed around her feet, the rocks at the bottom clicking and clanging slightly, and, every once in a while, one rolled over her foot. The breeze blew gently sometimes, making wisps of her hair lift from her neck and wrap around her face gently.

The magic of the Woods moved comfortably around her…and she smiled at the feel of this. It had been so long that she had allowed herself the joy of feeling the magic of the Woods…

Her eyes sprung open and she twirled around, her feet still in the water. An elvish lady stood there, in a traditional white, loose fitting gown, and a small smile laying on her face. Her hair swayed loosely around her, coming to about her waist…and, with the moon's light, the golden yellow seemed to almost glow with a light from the stars. It was Galadriel.

She glared at Galadriel as she walked out of the water, happy she hadn't walked waist-deep into the water. "What is it that you want?" She asked gruffly.

The moonlight reflected off the gently coursing river, creating a silver orb in the water. Waving aside the elf's gruffness…and her question, Galadriel looked up at the stars. "It is a clear night…I do not believe the stars have been this clear for many a day."

Rogue sighed inwardly. The Lady could be tedious person to talk to when you didn't want to. "How wonderful," she muttered, not really wishing to speak.

The Lady slowly turned towards Rogue, her silver crystal eyes looking at Rogue searchingly. "Why is it you run?" She questioned, her voice barely more than a whisper.

Shivering inside from the directness of the question, Rogue tried to keep her composure of uncaring. "I know not what you speak about."

The Lady's gaze watched her steadily. Rogue knew that, from the piercing look of the Lady, that it was well known to her…and that she need not speak of it. The Lady had known for quite a while. "You do, Anédia…you realize your mistakes…" The Lady's whispery voice finally spoke. "…And your successes."

Rogue said nothing, but stared at the Lady…wanting to break the eye contact, but not having the will. It wasn't the Lady's doing…it was…a more natural force. Perhaps the Woods themselves. Her face was a mixture of forced uncaring and unbelievable sadness…and, perhaps, a tinge of fear was evident.

"The past can not be changed, only looked upon. But the future is yet unknown, and still able to be moved to…."

A single tear slid down Rogue's face for an unknown reason. Cutting the Lady off, she shook her head. "The past….the past is what makes this torture we fight against…" She spoke bitterly, hating herself for letting the Lady get to her. But she seemed to be talking about more than just the Shadow Creature…something that wasn't as quite well known. Her eyes were somewhat distant, seeing both the lady and some unimaginable dream at the same time. 

Sorrow filled the Lady's eyes, being much more naturally compassionate than Rogue. But she spoke no words to ease the pain…knowing that Rogue would just brush them away. Letting out what seemed like a small sigh, she looked up at the heavens once more. "No matter how long the night, the day is sure to come*…." She murmured a strange piece of advice, then turned and started walking back through the dark woods, towards her palace home.

Rogue stood there, her emerald dress sparkling from the starlight bouncing off of it. When the Lady had moved far enough away, she moved closer to the trees, and sat down on a grassy area. Laying down, her eyes watching the stars, she allowed a few more tears to trickle down her face. 

"But if the night never ends, the day shall never come…" She murmured softly to herself, and closed her eyes as she felt another cool night breeze brush over her.

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* This is an African proverb…I did _not_ make it up! 

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Please review! I'll love ya forever!! *puppy dog eyes*


	29. Talk Under the Stars

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Disclaimer: Durn. I still don't own LotR!

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A/N: Well…'nother chapter! Woohoo! This chapter _is_ short compared to a few others, but I got what I wanted done in it…so, ah well. Hope you enjoy!

Don't forget to **_review_**…I'm one of those mean authors that loves to have a few reviews to read before writing another chapter of her story. :-D Thanks to everyone that is reading the story…and thanks to everyone who has reviewed the story so far! 

NOTE: This is a re-posting of this chapter. I messed up on one part of the fic, at the bottom…I originally wrote something along the lines of: Frodo to Rogue: "Are you not immortal?" 

This is, I believe, correct…but re-reading it, I find the reader can get confused…so it is now: "Aren't you immortal?" So Rogue _is_ immortal. Thanks, RubyDragon, for pointing this out. Look for Chapter 30 to appear soon! (I'll answer your questions, Tara, in Chapter 30's A/N)

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Anna: Hello! :-D How'd I do it…how'd I do it…hmmm…well, I write what's in m' head…and I'm just really glad that you're enjoying it so far and that you reviewed! Thanks!

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Alexeika2222: Well, you don't have to wait that long! Here's the next chapter of the story! :-D Thanks for reading and reviewing…and sorry for the lack of updates that one month. Heh heh..

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Lyra: Yes! Another new reader! I love new readers…really, I do! And I'm glad that you found this story worth two hours of your time…. :-D And, yep, it's certainly not ended yet…I have no clue how many chapters it's going to take to end this thing…but I have it planned out as to what will happen. And, wow! Thanks for saying that my story's a rarity. I'm trying to make it stand out from the rest! :-D And, yes, you're right…it is my story, so the charries can act however…but I am trying to make them faithful to the books…(thanks for saying that I'm doing pretty good!) LOL...and another one for the L/R posse! Heh heh!

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Sasha: Wow! Another new reviewer! Thanks for reading and reviewing my story! And thanks for all that….well…praise! I'm really trying to keep everything so that nobody seems too out of place…and it's nice to see you think that I'm doing a good job of it so far!

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RubyDragon: Hello! Nice to see I have 'nother 'regular reader'! I love those…actually, I love anybody that reads my story…but that's beside the point. Heh heh…a fight between Gimli and Rogue…now _that_ would be interesting. Sort of hard to figure out who would win. And I'm glad I could clear the Aragorn/Arathorn/Rogue confusion up! LMAO…'BoBo'!? Well, you'll have to keep reading until the end of the story to see who, if anybody, gets Rogue. :-D Dun dun dun…Haldir! Just like everything else, sometime in this story, it will be cleared up. Heh heh. Doncha hate having to wait?! 

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Ann_space: Thanks for taking so much time to read my story! And don't worry…you're not rambling! Heh heh…almost everybody voices their opinion about the R/? relationship. Lol…

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Zeech: Hiddy-ho, neighbor! Nice to see you're back…I thought I had lost ya for a while…Heh heh…and you like Elrohir and Elledan? Interesting. :-D Not that I don't, I just find it…well….interesting. Alright, I'm going to stop now, before I pull myself into a deeper hole.

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Nathronoelei: Yay! You like m'chapter! :-D And you're another one that liked Gimli's reaction to Rogue…seems like several people find that rather…well, funny!

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Chapter 29: Talk Under the Stars 

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Another night stuck on the vine,  
Another low lit memory  
Where time will slowly have it's way with me  
**-"My Hotel Years", Ataris**

Rogue lay on the ground for a period of time, exactly how long was impossible to tell, barely moving. Her eyes watched the cold stars above her head as the wind blew the grass in different directions, gently caressing her arms and legs. Several times she thought she dozed off, but when her mind came back to perceptiveness, she was unable to tell whether she had been awake or asleep. Her tears that had streaked her face had long dried up, leaving no evidence that the emotion had come over her.

She would have, perhaps, not have gone back to the camp that night, finding the calmness of the Woods soothing for her mind, had she not heard a soft padding of feet coming towards her.

Lifting herself up on her elbows, her legs coming closer to her, bending at the knees, she looked over to where she had heard the footsteps coming. Making no move to slip away before the person found her, she rather dwindled on the idea of who it was she thought was coming. Most of the Fellowship, she figured, would be far asleep by now…they had all been tired by the time they had made it to Lothlorien. But…if the person was from the Fellowship…Legolas seemed to be the only option as to who would be coming. He was an elf and was used to traveling hard when need be, not to mention he seemed rather infatuated with the Woods and would most likely like to walk around it at night.

Part of her mind wished it were he. She found it increasingly easy to be more open towards him than the others…perhaps it was his race. But that seemed to matter little since she did not find the same calmness in Elrond…or even Lady Galadriel. 

And then, the other part of her hoped it was not Legolas. Just as she found it easy to talk to him, she hated herself for doing so. More than one time she had come close to telling him things that the Fellowship shouldn't know…things that were better left to herself. In a way, she almost felt frightened. Never before in her life had she had be careful to what she said to someone because they could pull the truth from her so easily.

As the figure came into view, her eyebrows quirked up. A small figure, with brown, curly hair, walked slowly towards her. His ears were slightly pointed, in a way, elvish, and his eyes watched the flowing river with mild interest. Frodo.

She had not expected to find the Hobbit, or any of the others, in fact, to be walking this late. 

The moon glinted off of the river, giving off enough light that the surroundings could easily be seen, and as Frodo walked closer, he lifted his eyes to what lay in the grass a little bit ahead of him. The natural light made it obvious that it was Rogue…and the person he had been looking for. 

Her eyes watched Frodo walk towards her, though she did not stand up. When he stood only a few feet away from her, the corner of her mouth moved upwards in an almost half-smile. "What brings you here, Frodo?"

The meek Hobbit merely watched her for a few seconds, almost losing his nerve to talk to her. But he finally found his voice, though he kept wringing his hands together. "The Woods are especially beautiful at night. And I wondered where you had gone that made you not come back to camp earlier."

Rogue moved her head so that she was no longer looking at Frodo, but back at the stars again. Her smile was still slightly there as she replied. "Sit down, Frodo…you needn't stand like that."

Complying, he sat down, a few feet away from the elven girl. The large, brown orbs that were his eyes, stared at the stars, trying to find what Rogue found so amazing within them.

The silence penetrated through the air for several minutes. The water of the river lapped at their banks, and the trees moved with the wind. The trees, it seemed, had moved more than Rogue had, and Frodo began to wonder if she had already forgotten that he was sitting down near her.

Sighing slightly, he looked at Rogue, his mind full of questions…and only a few of them, he knew, she would answer. "R…Rogue," He started, his voice cracking from slightly nervousness. 

She turned her head slightly towards him, though she still looked at the sky. 

"Haldir…why do you both…well…dislike each other?" He continued.

Rogue eyes drifted from the twinkling lights and rested on Frodo's face. A malicious smile formed on her lips, though not for Frodo, and a short, almost barking, laugh escaped from her. "You can say, I suppose, that we have, in the past, not seen things in the same way."

This almost confused Frodo even more, but he ignored it. "Then what of the whole Woods? Lady Galadriel? Do you not see 'things in the same way' also, and so you do not enjoy it here…as Legolas enjoys it?"

Rogue took a few seconds to sort out her answer but she carefully started to reply, picking out her words. "In one way …yes. But…" She trailed off not knowing what to say and not telling him too much information that she didn't want him to know. Finally, giving up, she completed her statement. "…It is hard to explain, Frodo. Someday, perhaps. Or perhaps I'll die before you or any of the others from the Company know."

Pushing off her inadequate reply to the side, he targeted her last statement, becoming interested that she was actually talking to him. "Aren't you immortal?"

"Unfortunately," she replied, ruefully, it seemed.

The silence returned, though Rogue did not look back up at the stars this time. Instead, she seemed to find the grass an interesting target to rest her gaze on. Frodo gazed at her, confused at what he had just witnessed. He had never carried on a conversation such as that with Rogue. Before he could find a reasonable question to start her talking again, she questioned Frodo.

"Why is it that you came on this Quest, Frodo?" She asked, her eyes never leaving the ground.

He fidgeted slightly, taken by surprise that she was asking _him_ questions. "Er…well…adventure, I suppose. Yes, adventure. Since the first Quest…well, it has been awful boring."

She let out a low chuckle, her eyes looking at his face again. But this time, they harbored something…a knowing of something. "But you at least knew what you were fighting against last time. What of this time?"

"Well, the Shadow Creature…is that what you called it? Isn't that we are fighting against?" His voice filled with puzzlement at her mood…his eyes noticing the almost haunted look in her eyes.

She was silent for a few seconds, trying to decide how much to tell him. "…Yes, we fight against that. But…" She trailed off and looked back up at the stars, a tint of longing now in her eyes. "Have you seen the stars tonight, Frodo?" She asked quietly.

"Yes," he nodded, looking at her questioningly. Trying to decide what to do, or say, he merely followed her actions and looked at the stars.

"…A man once told me that the stars held truth," She spoke, her voice almost a whisper. As in her eyes, longing filled her voice…and a kind of despair. Not saying anything, Frodo just looked at the heavens, listening to Rogue's soft voice. 

"How strange it is…that the stars that hold such truth and beauty can only show their presence in the night…where death and evil harbor themselves. They cloud the truth…they've been clouding it for some time now. It seems as though the truth is little more than a haze in the air lately…" Her voice now seemed to contain more despair than anything else…and Frodo just listened, unknowing as to what to do.

Pushing herself up so that she was now completely sitting, she looked at Frodo. "You need sleep tonight, Frodo. Come…I'll go back to the camp now, too." Her voice had completely changed…it as her normal, sarcastic, uncaring one that he was well accustomed to.

Standing up, she waited for Frodo to scramble to his feet before walking back to the camp with him silently, the diamond light from the moon and stars the only thing that illuminated the small 'path' back to the others.

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Don't forget to review! I love reviews! I feed off of them….


	30. Feathers and Goodbyes

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Disclaimer: Durn. I still don't own LotR!

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A/N: Sorry for the lack of updates again. :-D Again, it was school…but, I'm back. Don't worry, I'm not going to leave this fic unfinished, so even if I'm not consistent with my updates, I'll always update again sooner or later…Oh, and I hope that this is a good chapter. :-D Definitely long, I think…woot! Heh heh…

Oh, I started another LotR Fanfiction…Definitely a lot different than this one. A Legolas romance…and written in POV (not Legolas's). It's called 'Black Velvet' (Yesh, named after the song…if ya know it. :-D )

_Nathronoelei: _ E-Heh… :-D Takes me long enough to update. Even longer to get around to reading…but I'll get there. WOOT! Heh heh…glad you found Frodo's conversation interesting. That was the point, eh?

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Tara: LMAO! Ah well, I know how that feels….dun worry about it. WOOT! Answers: 1) Yes. Rogue will, in time, find out who Aragorn's father is…and, in turn, Aragorn will find out about Rogue's connection to his father. 2) Heh heh. Yes. But I've always found it strange for a romance to be going on in the middle of the journey (I, personally, would find it awkward if I were in the situation)…but there will be a romance later in the story. With who, you'll have to wait to find out. 3) Fall in love. (I'm debating on writing smut or not…and, if I do, because of the new rules, I'll just have to e-mail the chapter to anyone who wants it). 4) Hrm…next ten chapters? Depends on how fast I write this journey. Probably not, because there's still several places ("adventures") that I want to happen that weren't written for romance. 5) Heck, why not. :-D

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RubyDragon: That's my bad…I wrote a bad sentence. Rogue _is_ immortal, though she isn't happy about it. Thanks for reviewing!

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Anna: Thanks!

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Saige: Heh heh…that's fine. Hope you had fun while away!

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Kiara: Thanks for letting me know you're still here. YEA!

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Sherri: :-D Thanks for the compliments. Sometimes I feel as though I'm stretching my style too much…but I suppose I'm not. I tend to be too critical. Ah well. :-D And I couldn't let Frodo just sit there for the whole journey without doing anything. :-D

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Elbereth94: Wow! That's a great review…thanks! I knew someone somewhere would point out that they thought Rogue was a bit of a Mary Sue…so I really don't mind. Any new character is going to be a 'Mary Sue'…all ya can do is try to be original, eh? And thanks for saying that Rogue _is_ a well-written one. Of course, I don't want her to be a Mary Sue…but, like I said, you can't convince everybody that she isn't. :-D And, oh, I'm having a memory block and I can't remember if I've looked at Sweeter Songs or not…if I haven't, I'll read it soon! (And, oh, about the Talk Under the Stars…well, I try not to make my story _too_ obvious!) 

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Name: Thanks!

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Margarit: Thank you very much! Glad to have you as a reviewer!

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Oebbles: Nice to see ya back! 

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Sharon: Thanks…and sorry for the lack of updates. My schedule is way too inconstant!

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Elvish_smiley: 'Ello! Thanks for your vote in the Rogue/?? Relationship. :-D I definitely think the Rogue/Legolas relationship has the most votes so far…you guys will just have to wait to see what happens. :-D LOL.. 

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PLEASE REVIEW! :-D I thrive off of reviews. WOOT! 

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Chapter 30: Feathers and Goodbyes

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Time to burn it all away,  
time to think of what to say  
Time to go right back to yesterday.  
Time for movements in the past,  
time for something that won't last.   
Not just fire quick and die off fast.   
**-"Angry Nerd Rock", Ataris**

The sun seemed to rise earlier than normal, though it hadn't deviated from it's routine a second. It was merely the fact that the Fellowship had long needed a rest in a peaceful place, and their sleep had consumed them for more than expected. Even Rogue had slept comfortably…her normal nightmares staying abnormally far away. 

When the sun's golden rays penetrated the rustling leaves of the trees, Legolas finally stirred from his open-eyed sleep. Lithely picking himself off of the ground and silently walking out of the tent that he had ended up sharing with Gimli. Taking a look around, he found he was the only one awake at the moment…but only seconds later, a half-asleep Sam trudged out of the tent that Frodo and he had shared. Holding in a chuckle at the hobbit, Legolas turned and looked out over the forest, the trees slightly heaving with the wind. He knew they would be leaving as soon as everyone was awake and ready.

Sam, more awake now, puttered around behind him, trying to find enough resources to make a cooking fire for their breakfast. After a few moments had passed, the hiss of a small fire could be heard, and then, a few seconds later, the frying of meat. Pulling out some biscuits to go along with the cooked meat, he started getting plates ready. The delectable smell of the meat wavered in the air, then hovered around the tents. That was all it took to wake the travel-worn company, and they trudged out, one by one, and some more alert than others, settling down around the reddened fire.

Without exchanging words, Sam silently split the meat and biscuits between the ten plates, then passed them out. As each companion received a plate, Sam looked, confused, at the two left over plates. One for himself…but the other….

Looking up, he tried to figure out who was missing…though the realization hit him rather quickly. "Rogue's still…" He managed to finally point out.

Frodo, appointing himself, rose and took a few steps towards her tent. "I'll wake her."

Gandalf shook his head and motioned for Frodo to sit again. "Sit, Frodo…let her sleep for a little longer. Have you not noticed how little she sleeps when we travel? So let her sleep while we still rest in a safe area."

The air held a slight crispness as it shifted around the campsite. The meal continued on without more discussion, the sleep slowly wearing off of the companions. The sun glinted off of the river invitingly as the birds sang in harmony among the trees. And just as most of the Fellowship was beginning to end their meal, a half-alert Rogue appeared from her tent and grudgingly walked over to the fire. Grabbing a plate without a word to Sam, she sat down and spoke, rather accusingly.

"You didn't wake me."

"Your sleep was not hindering our journey…there was no reason to wake you," Gandalf explained calmly.

Rogue did not reply, focusing on her meal instead. As the plates were slowly piled up from the others, they took their few moments to lounge back and watch the Woods. Rogue ate quickly, yet didn't shovel the food into her mouth, and added her plate to the pile just as the company had started to disperse without talking. Wordlessly they all knew they had to get ready for returning to their journey…

Knowing her personal items had not moved since they had taken camp in the Woods, Rogue followed the river down the bank, looking for a rather private place where she could wash without having to worry about one of the Fellowship accidentally walking in on her. She stopped, almost where she had been the night before, and looked around to make sure once more it was only her. Slowly unbuckling the small belt that went around her thigh and held her daggers, she let it slip to the ground, along with her hilt and sword. Unburdened of her weapons, for she hadn't brought her bow with her to her washing, she shed herself of her clothing. 

Walking up to the river, she let a foot slip in, letting the other one follow it in. The cool water rushed around the fair skin, and she walked carefully deeper so that she could emerge her whole body.

She washed herself quickly, yet enjoyed the sensation of being clean once again. After a small amount of time had lapsed, she glided out of the water and threw her same clothes on. Picking up the dagger belt, complete with three daggers, she strapped it around her thigh, making sure it was on tight enough that it wouldn't fall off while she walked. Then she took her sword and hilt and attached it around her waist. After she was completely dressed, and she had run her hands through her hair a few times, she began to walk back to the camp.

As she came closer, she slowed her pace and listened carefully for the sound of someone bathing or getting dressed. Hearing none, she walked into the camp and found her ears had not deceived her. No one stood in the river nor sat in their tents trying to find their clothes. 

Going back over to her tent, which she had ended up sharing with Gandalf, she quickly grabbed her bow and quiver full of arrows and strapped them onto her back once again. Walking back out to the small clearing, she sat near the trunk of a large tree, and waited silently such like Legolas and Aragorn were already doing.

In fact, it was only Sam that was trying to get the rest of his things together. He had taken not only the time to clean himself, but to clean the dishes as well, and now he was trying to pack them neatly away. Finally able to shove the last plate into the medium-sized bag, he stood up proudly. "Finally! All are packed now…when do we leave?"

"Now, Master Gamgee, if everyone is ready," Gandalf spoke again.

Muttering words such as 'yes' and 'always' and nodding their heads, the Fellowship stood, ready to follow Gandalf to where he was going to take them, since he seemed to know where to go. The normal murmer of talking was not present in the group yet, the fact of leaving the Woods finally coming upon everyone.

Gandalf, standing tall with his staff in his hand, started moving steadfastly out of the clearing. "This way, then."

They followed him through the woods, which seemed completely unaware that the group was finally leaving after the extremely short stay. The seemed to walk on for a long while through the ever-unchanging Woods until they came along to a large river.

The river was at least four times the size of the one they had camped next to, and to cross a boat had to be taken. Elves walked around, talking and doing their daily chores, not taking a second look at the abnormal group. Large buildings speckled the area, some in trees and some created purely on solid ground. But there was a dock built, with a large, ground building near it, and on the dock stood a large grouping of fair elves. Taking a closer look, they noticed that the Lady and Lord were part of the large grouping…and there were four elven-crafted boats waiting alongside the dock.

With Gandalf still in the lead, the Company walked silently, almost mournful of having to leave Lothlorien, up to the dock. Coming up to the wooden planks, they stepped up and walked down the dock, and walked up to the group that harbored the Lady Galadriel. Breaking out of their line, the Fellowship stood, awaiting the farewell of the Lady.

"Thank you, Lady, for welcoming us into your home once again…" Aragorn started.

"And it is fine to see that your beauty has not faltered since the last time my eyes have laid upon you," Gimli added in.

Rogue cast a glance over to Gimli, choking down the laughter that came to her throat. She spoke nothing, just watched the Lady, waiting. 

Finally, the Lady of the Woods spoke. "I hope your journey ends well. We have provided boats so you may make it out of Lothlorien…though I have no gifts such like I had last time you met my acquaintance." She paused and looked pointedly at Rogue, who merely ignored her. "I have tried to help the Fellowship as well as I can…and having non-injured members seemed it would be of great help. That is the only gift I could give…"

"Your generosity is taken, Lady, and we thank you," Legolas answered formally.

She gave the group a short nod, giving them the 'alright' to enter the boats and continue their journey. They silently chose their boats, settling down so they were comfortable. Frodo, Sam, and Legolas ended up in one boat, as did Pippin, Merry, and Boromir. Aragorn and Gimli entered one boat, and Rogue and Gandalf shared the last boat. Some elves that had been standing around Galadriel now moved towards the boats and deftly removed the coils of ropes that had tied them to the dock. Leaning forward slightly, the elves pushed the group off so that they started floating towards the center of the river. As the Fellowship pulled out the paddles for the boats, Galadriel spoke once more.

"And, remember…now matter how long the night, the day is sure to come.*"

And without, she started walking off of the dock and towards her tree palace, her entourage following closely behind.

Aragorn turned around, being in the boat that was in front of the others, and spoke loudly so all the Company could hear him. "We will stop where we stopped in the last journey…there should not be orcs there now."

As he started paddling through the crystal waters, the rest of the boats followed without protest, even though Legolas seemed to have become even more intent on his surroundings than before. 

The day waned on as they followed the waters, and after some time they came to the edge of Lothlorien. The full trees and wavering leaves seemed to grow dimmer as they crossed the border. The waters stayed clear, and the sun stayed high in the sky as they moved along at an average pace. Very little talk went on among the grouping, most likely from the fact that they were leaving the Woods. 

They traveled onwards, the hours melding in together. The sun moved diligently, and high noon soon passed without notice. Although most of the group seemed to be thinking to themselves, Frodo kept looking furtively over at Rogue. She had confused him during their conversation…and he hoped desperately that he would find out sooner or later the answers. His glances did not go without notice, however, but Rogue made no move to acknowledge him. 

Because the boats were not being moved at a fast pace, but more of an average pace, it was not until the sun was near the horizon that the camp site was finally in view. As they came closer, the paddlers of the boats started to move the boats to get ready for docking against the dirt. Luckily, Legolas noticed nothing strange…such as orc attacks…and he made no protest of making camp at the site.

The boats were docked easily, and they clambered out of the boats. With the sun being late enough in the sky, Sam went straight into searching through the food, which had been given by the elves when most of the group had been looking at the boats, and tried to decide what to use for dinner. Aragorn, after muttering for Legolas to stay and watch over the group, walked off slightly and seemed to be scouting around the premise. 

Legolas did as he was asked, and leaned against a tree, watching Sam with faint interest. Rogue stood by the river, looking out over it, seemingly not thinking of anything specific. The rest of the Fellowship, which included the Hobbits, Boromir, and Gimli, had found spots to sit and were now quietly discussing the future path of the journey. Sam had placed his bag, still open, next to him. It was almost empty with the plates and food pulled out, and when a good-sized wind blew, a black feather rolled out slightly, unnoticed. 

Rogue turned and looked at Gandalf and his small group, interested in where everybody thought they should continue on towards. She closed eyes as the wind blew, and just as she opened them her sight was attracted to a moving near Sam's bag. Seeing the black feather, her mind quickly dismissed it…until Sam moved.

The Hobbit had moved to several feet in front of where he had been, for better light, or more shadow...

But his body had blocked the sun over the feather, and now that it was free to shine where it pleased, some rays glinted off of what seemed like a silver tip of the feather. Trying to ignore it, Rogue watched the feather, trying to decide if her eyes were playing tricks on her. But it only took her a few seconds to know it was no trick…a black feather with silver tipping had come out of Sam's bag…

Her jaw tightening up, she walked over to the feather, her body stiff. Bending down, she grabbed it gently, and looked at it, observing that it was, in fact, what she had thought it was. The silver tipped writing feather from her old home.

"What is this? Do you know what this is?" Her voice shrieked over to Sam, who looked at her startled. Taking a few seconds to realize she was talking about the feather, Sam looked at her, nervous at Rogue's sudden outburst.

"It…it…looks like a silver tipped black feather, Miss Rogue."

Her eyes grew cold as she watched him and she held the feather in her right hand, with her left hand balled in a fist. With a stiff body, it was obvious that Rogue was the most upset that she had been on the journey so far. Her change in attitude about a small feather attracted the attention of Frodo and the others, and they watched on, confused.

"That it is. It was in your bag," She spat accusingly, her voice sharp and icy.

"Y-y-yes, I suppose it was…" Sam replied hesitantly, knowing that Rogue was upset at him. He tried to figure out where he had seen the feather before…and he suddenly remembered. In the old house that him and Frodo, Pippin, and Merry had explored. A wind must have blown the feather into his bag.

"And how did you get it?" Her voice not changing in tones, color coming to her cheeks as the anger grew.

"B-b-by accident, I swear. Me an' Frodo an' Pippin an' Merry had just been l-l-looking in an a-a-a-abandoned house an' it must've accidentally got blown into my bag," Sam tried to explain.

Rogue suddenly looked as though she was going to kill Sam. "What were you thinking? Don't you know _not_ to go into houses that aren't yours…" 

As her voice grew colder, Boromir decided to react before the girl did anything to harm the small Hobbit. Jumping up, he grabbed her arms and held them behind her back, effectively holding her in place.

Her anger flared as she felt Boromir hold her back, and her attention was suddenly changed from Sam to Boromir. Twisting quickly, she broke through Boromir's light grasp of her arms, twirling around to face Boromir and pulling her sword out all in motion. Her eyes flared and her mouth was set in a thin line as she glowered at Boromir, who just watched her carefully, his hands straying close to his own sword.

"What's wrong?" Aragorn's clear voice rang clear into the air, trying to cut the tension but failing. Boromir and Rogue kept their stance, neither even moving their eyes. Aragorn walked closer, finally ending up standing next to the terrified Sam. 

"It was only a feather. Not like Sam stole something of importance," Boromir slowly spoke at Rogue.

"Perhaps it was of importance to me, have you thought of that?" She hissed back.

With the small exchange of words, Aragorn quickly looked around and noticed the black feather that Rogue still held. Piecing the accusations that he had heard and the idea of the feather together, he quickly understood what had happened.

"Rogue, this is nothing to be upset about…" Aragorn tried to reason.

Setting her jaw even more firmly, she glared once more at Boromir, then moved it to Aragorn. "And how would you know? You weren't even _here._"

Strider pulled himself up, looking more regal than before. He returned her unblinking glare, his right hand resting on his sword. "You might want to stop speaking now…while you are still allowed to travel this journey with the Fellowship." As he spoke, his voice matched her coldness, and her eyes widened slightly as she heard Aragorn's tone.

But she regained her composure quickly and her eyebrows raised menacingly. "Oh really?" She questioned, her voice dangerously sarcastic. "If that's what you wish. We shall part ways tomorrow, at daybreak. It's a shame that I didn't leave earlier."

She sheathed her sword and walked so she stood a little bit away from the rest of the Fellowship and sat down. Pulling out her dagger, she went on to start sharpening it, though it was not needed. 

The rest of the Fellowship sat, dumbfounded at the turn of events. Sam, trying to brush off being so shaky, sat down where he was and started sorting through the food for the night's dinner, while Aragorn tried to start some conversation with Boromir and Legolas as if nothing had happened.

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* African proverb

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Please review! _THANKS!_


	31. A Familiar Voice

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Disclaimer: Durn. I still don't own LotR!

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A/N: I'm back! Again. Heh, I know I say this everytime….buuut…my winter holiday is coming up, and I'm **_really_** hoping to write more of this! Plus…

12-18-02: The Two Towers just came out today! WOOHOO! I went to go see it with a couple of friends, and it was great. If ya'll haven't seen it yet, go to see it as soon as possible. ( Hey, I know that the movies are never as good as the books, but the movies are pretty durn good, too.) 

Sorry if this chapter focuses too much on Rogue…the next chapter will focus completely on the Fellowship.

I was going to write more for my Hints, Tips, and Tricks to Being a Good LOTR Writer, but I'm too tired and FanFiction.net killed it off it's site. (I still have it on my computer, though, so don't worry). But I lost all my reviews. If you enjoyed that piece of work, please let me know and I will continue e-mailing you're the chapters. And now onto reviews….

12-26-02: Sorry this wasn't published on the 18th…but I was on probation from FanFiction.net. :-) **If you have put my fanfiction on you webpage, or know of a webpage that has my work on it, please let me know!** I just like to know where my fanfiction is…thanks!

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Amiella Rogue: Thanks for reviewing! (You're a new reader, aren't you?) I see where you're coming from with the last chapter, but with the overall story plot, I think it works out well. :-P

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Someone: *blink* Hey! You don't have a name! *shrug* Whatever floats your boat. Thanks for the praise! I'm glad you like Rogue…

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Elbereth94: LMAO…wow, a little impatient for a relationship in this story, eh? Heh heh…

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The peace people: Wow! Thanks! And definitely thanks for taking the time to read my story….I love to heard from new people.

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Anna: Heh heh! Eh, Boromir isn't half as bad as everyone thinks he is once you know him a bit more. :-P And thanks for your vote in the Relationship poll. LOL! (I think everyone else decided who Rogue was going to end up with before I ever decided!)

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CCC: Thanks for reviewing! I did think about having her as a ringwraith, but I decided not to. Sorry if you're disappointed in the story so far. I've tried hard to make a new character that is not a Mary-Sue. (Yes, I realize that it is almost impossible to avoid Mary-Sue characters, and though Rogue is has slight qualities, I believe she is more developed than other new, female characters. I've thought extensively about her background, her personality, and her part in the journey).

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Zeech: My faithful reader! Heh heh. Well, I feel for you and school work…I'm having the same problem. But WINTER BREAK'S HERE! WOOHOO!

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Lyra: :-D I'll take that as 'you like my story'! Thanks!

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Sherri: LOL! Well, if you haven't noticed, you probably didn't miss much with that month away from the computer. I know, I know…poor Sam. :-D

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Saige: Heh heh! Thanks! I'm glad you're still reading!

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ElFgIrL: Hey! It's always nice to have a new reader! Thanks for your comment on my writing style. :-D I see your point on focusing on Rogue too much…let's see if I can have a few chapters focusing on other characters more, eh? How about the next chapter…chapter 32? :-D

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Lisa: :-D Nope, I'm not going to leave this story unfinished! Here's the next chapter…and there's still plenty more to come.

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Lasthope: Thanks for reviewing! I hope you like this next chapter!

As always, **please review! I need reviews to live on!**

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Chapter 31: A Familiar Voice

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I'm looking for a place  
Searching for a fate  
Is anybody here I know  
'Cause nothing's going right  
And everything's a mess  
And no one likes to be alone   
**-"I'm With You", Avril Lavigne**

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The night had fell swiftly, leaving the cold silence behind as the Company drifted off to sleep. Yet the blessed stillness of night was over all too soon, and the first rays of sun grazed against the lightly grassy land. The previous night's mishaps had been all but forgotten and the friends talked among themselves about what was to be expected in their adventure. Yet the silence was still strong around Rogue, for she neither talked to any of the Fellowship, nor had a word spoken to her. Sam passed out the breakfast once again, yet a bit more shakily when coming to Rogue. 

The girl ate quickly, making as little acknowledgements to the Fellowship as possible. The steady understanding between Aragorn and Rogue that had been building since the group first set off from Rivendell was completely shattered, leaving nothing but disdain for each other. The Hobbits were the ones that held the most regret, though they should've been the ones to judge the elven girl the harshest since they were the ones that had bore the brunt of her rage.

With her things already packed up, her weapons lying near her bedroll, she grabbed a small packet of lembas that she felt would last her a few days, and put it within her bedroll so she could carry it along with her during her solo journey. With her daggers already strapped along her thigh, she put on her sword, so that it was lying next to her hip, and strapped the bedroll to her back, along with the bow and quiver full of arrows. The bedroll did not add that much more weight, so that it did not hinder her walking.

She stood for a second, looking at the situation before her. The thought of leaving the Company to the surprise of the Shadow Creature dug into her, but she still seethed about the infraction from the Hobbits - though they knew not what they had done. Casting a glance over at the Fellowship, she realized they had watched, slightly surprised that she was following through with her threat of leaving the group. Her mouth set in a thin line, she finally decided to leave them a slight bit of her help. 

"If I come across someone I believe might be of help to you, I will try to send them in your direction - though I promise nothing," she emotionlessly told the group.

Gandalf was the only part of the Fellowship to still talk to her, so with a curt nod of his head, he replied. "Farewell, may your road lead you to a good life."

Rogue wasted no more time and began to walk away, a slightly different direction that what the Fellowship would be taking when they were finally off. Her feet carried her swiftly across the wooded terrain, and by high noon she could no longer hear the Fellowship moving on in their quest. Slowing her pace, she allowed herself to walk a bit more leisurely, since she was not going directly anywhere. 

The trees around her, and the silence that inhabits forests, created a serene air. Her outburst at the camp came floating into her mind, though she dismissed it several times. Each time to remembered how ignorant and rude Sam had been - and each time, this argument seemed less and less rational. The Hobbits _hadn't,_ in actuality, been trying to break into someone's house. They had no idea that it still might have meaning for someone.

A sharp dagger a guilt twisted itself in her, yet she did not slow her pace nor turn herself so that her path would collide with the Fellowship's and they could join back together. She pushed the guilt away, trying to remind herself of her old rationality of the situation.

And then her footing faltered, on a tree's root, and she roughly hit the ground. She sat, slightly stunned, her mind trying to figure out what it had been that made her not pay attention to the root. It hadn't been her preoccupation of the previous night's fight, yet it had been -

And then she understood, as she felt it again. Rogue felt the dark cloud, caressed the edges of her mind, that came when the voice - the one that haunted her nights and days - came. She cursed under her breath, picking herself up and walking hastily forward, trying to leave the cloud back at the tree's root.

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And so it has happened. The sinister voice crawled in her mind.

"Nothing has happened," she replied harshly, trying to make the voice leave - though she knew it was useless. It would leave only when it felt like it.

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You walk alone. And it is your fault.

"It is _not_ my fault!" she exclaimed, with a bit more accusation towards the Fellowship than intended.

A dark chuckle coiled through her mind - as it continued to play with her - making her internally wince. _You're right. That Halfling - it should have known better. You would have known better, wouldn't you have? _

"I would've - yes, that's right. There's no reason to go into houses' that aren't yours…even it no one lives in them," she agreed, even as the guilt played through her again.

The voice now picked up on the guilt, which had washed over Rogue again. _But - maybe they would allow you back. You are needed, after all, if they wish to live. They know nothing of this mystery waiting for them._

Rogue silently agreed that they would most likely die without her slight knowledge of the danger, and spoke with some bitterness, "They would not let me back into their Company, even if it meant life. They barely looked at me during our breakfast." Rogue found her original seething fire being rekindled, and she did nothing to stop it. The burning felt strangely good.

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But would you go back to them, if they would allow? The voice played further, knowing the feelings it stirred within her.

"No," she said decisively. "They must learn that their actions can not be brushed away," she continued coldly.

A dark smile could be felt as the voice continued on. _That's my love. Never let them get to you, now can you? If you had listened to me before, you would have known not to believe in the ideals of a Fellowship. They should have been destroyed a long time ago - when I was more powerful. When the Ring was still…made._

Her lips quirked upwards. "The quest will kill them, it is obvious. They know nothing of the nature of the Shadow Creature…"

Suddenly, Rogue stopped in her movements, clamping her mouth shut. The fire had grown within her as she let the voice continue on…and then when she had begun agreeing with what it had said. She shook her head, trying to clear away the thoughts. "No…no…" she mumbled almost incoherently.

The voice, knowing it had lost the hold it had on Rogue for the moment, added more to it's speech, ruthlessly. _Go back to them if you must - if you can find them. But realize that you have already hurt them with your words…their trust wanes. What makes you believe you will not destroy their trust completely with one foolish action?_

Rogue looked around at the trees, trying to decipher where she was. The short time that she had been entranced by the darkness of the voice had moved her from her original path, and now she stood, confused as to where the voice had been leading her. Coldness - though a different type this time…more of fear than of hate - drifted within her, and she quickly began running through the woods towards where she believed the Fellowship's path would be.

As the cool air brushed past her, with the branches scratching across her clothing, she continued on - trying to rid herself of the voice. And finally it was gone, after she had run for quite a while, though it had not spoken to her as she ran. A dark trail was left in her mind, chillingly her. Slowing down to a trot, and finally walking, she looked around. 

She listened around her, trying to pick up on her old trail - or the Fellowship. Leaning against an old tree, she slid to the ground, resting her head and back - although somewhat uncomfortable because of her small baggage - against the trunk. Curling herself up, so that her knees where brought up to her chest, her hands clutched at her ankles. Her skin had grown pale, as she let her emotions move freely.

Fear rushed through her, from her encounter with the voice, and how she had lost herself for those few moments. But what scared her more was the knowing that the coals that had burned within her were hers…and not a trick by the voice. It had merely reminded her of them, and it knew it. She ran from it, but after a while it gets tiring to run from oneself. 

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Please review! THANKS!


	32. Sudden Revelations

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Disclaimer: Durn. I still don't own LotR!

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A/N: Ugh, I'm not sure if this is a good chappy or not. Ah well, I'm getting it up quicker, aren't I?! :-P 

I was going to write more for my Hints, Tips, and Tricks to Being a Good LOTR Writer, but FanFiction.net killed it off it's site. (I still have it on my computer, though, so don't worry). But I lost all my reviews. If you enjoyed that piece of work, please let me know and I will continue e-mailing you the chapters. 

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If you have put my fanfiction on you webpage, or know of a webpage that has my work on it, please let me know! I just like to know where my fanfiction is…thanks!

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Offspring-the-kids-aint-a: Hey! I always love new reviewers! Thanks for taking the time to read my story…I know it's rather long. Oh, and thanks for adding your opinion on the R/? …. Heh heh, it seems that there are starting to get a lot more R/B supporters. Eh. We'll see. :-D

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Zeech: Heh heh! You should know by now that I love cliffhangers. Heh, I'll probably do something stupid and end the story with a cliffhanger…and then I'll have to do a sequel. What a crazy thing that would be. Lmao. Good point about the original character thing. I never thought about it that way, but I guess it's sort of good that I'm developing Rogue as much as I had first planned…at least, I hope that I'm developing her. :-D At least you're attached to 'er, eh? Eh heh….a split personality? Are you just now noticing that? I thought you would have earlier…heh heh! Of course, it's not exactly a split personality…but I digress. We must be on the same school schedule…I got off Friday, too. Anywho…oh, and thanks for going back and reading this all!! The story must have something to it if you can go back and read it again…LOL…oh, and just to say something, I went back and read it through again, seeing as though it's been a year since I first started this thing. And I must say, I think it's coming out how I expected it to! HOORAH! We'll see how long Rogue has to walk by herself…oh, I noticed the B/R supporters, too. But that doesn't mean anything, now does it? Heh. And dun worry about the long review. Have you noticed that I ramble, too. LOL! **THE TWO TOWERS ROCKS!** I've seen it two times in the first week. WOOHOO!

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Tora: Thanks for reviewing! I'm lookin' for the website for ya. No luck yet, but give me time…

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Tara: Thanks for letting me know that you're not my old Tara…I'm gullible enough that I would have believed you to be her. Ah well. Just like I said earlier, I love new reviewers! So thanks! Oh, and thanks for your input on the MS…I really hope that Rogue ends up not being a Mary Sue. But there's some people that you just can't convince, eh? Heh.

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Someone: I'm assuming that you're the same as my other nameless wonder that reviewed last time. :-D Thanks for reviewing….and I certainly didn't leave it that long to update!

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ElFgIrL: Hey! Thanks for reviewing again! What can I say - I'm a sucker for reading reviews. I always have to read them before I write. :-P

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Please, please, please review. I'll love ya forever! :-D 

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Chapter 32: Sudden Revelations 

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Sometimes the truest lies  
Are the ones we tell ourselves  
The very last time we said goodbye  
Inside we mean't don't go   
**-"How Did We End Up Here", B4-4**

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"I knew she would be bad for this quest the moment we allowed her to join us," growled a still-seething Boromir.

It was merely an hour, at best, since the elven girl had left the Fellowship. Sam had picked up all left over utensils, though there were few, cleaned them so their metals were sparkling under the sun's rays, and was neatly packing them away. Gandalf sat, his pipe in hand and letting small smoke rings out of his mouth, looking towards the way they would travel. Aragorn stood, awaiting the rest of the group to travel onwards. 

And it didn't take long for the group to be ready. They knew they must be traveling onwards, not wanting to stay in any one place for too long of a time. Though there had been no orc sightings yet, that did not mean that they were completely safe. 

Aragorn looked over expectantly at Gandalf. "We go to Gondor, then? And then our journey leads us to Mordor."

Gandalf returned Aragorn's look, nodding slightly. "Yes, yes…that will be our route."

No one had acknowledged Boromir's comment, and Aragorn started walking further into the forest, making everyone start to the follow him. The king that usually had a more compassionate personality had turned more curt and commanding since the sudden turn of events concerning Rogue.

The group walked onwards, passing the old trees. Logs laid at their feet, making them walk, or, in the Hobbits' cases, scramble over them. It was hard to tell whether the time was passing quickly or slowly as land was slowly covered. Broken ruins could be seen from where they walked, yet a second glance was not spared for these wonders. 

All seemed to be contemplating the previous evening's happenings for themselves. Boromir, it seemed, got a strange satisfaction from finding himself right about the girl. However, the Hobbits, as it had been at breakfast, seemed to have a slight problem with Rogue's leaving.

Unclear as to how much time had passed, Boromir decided to start the conversation - since his first comment had not been responded to. "Those rumors at Elithir…perhaps they are true. You can not disagree now that she has a certain…erh, bad disposition?" Though he had not said it directly, it was overly obvious at the fact that he was talking about Rogue.

"A bad disposition?! Is _that_ what you call it?" Gimli gruffly replied. "I agree with you all too readily!"

"Which rumor do you speak of, Boromir?" Aragorn asked, thinking over the few choices they had been given. It was certain that Lord Elrond was _not_ her father.

"The only one that would make sense. A servant of the Dark Lord, she is. Sauron is found within her thoughts and actions," Boromir replied, enjoying the fact that the Company finally agreed with him.

"That may be, what why had she not acted against us before now? And even now, all she has done is left us -" Legolas reminded Boromir.

"She drew her sword, Legolas. She drew her weapon against one of us…does that not show disloyalty?" Aragorn countered, though his voice held no rudeness towards his friend.

Yet for this, Legolas had no answer - making it clear that he had to agree with Aragorn. "Gandalf, what do you think of this situation?"

It was several moments until Gandalf answered, yet he answered with the same dignity and authority that he always carried with him. "I agree with neither the Fellowship nor Rogue, for both arguments have problems within them. Yet, I think Legolas is wise to point out that the girl has not attacked us before - it seems that there were many better places for an attack."

To this, Boromir gave an unappreciative snort.

Gandalf, however, continued onwards. "And, you, Boromir…I believe you to be assuming much to believe she works under Sauron."

"How can you say that? You see how she acts - barely talks, wanders off by herself, will barely even tell us anything about that thing we face - the Shadow Creature. And that! How does she even know about it when so many other people do not?" Boromir defended his argument.

Aragorn nodded, although not trying to disagree with Gandalf. "I see Boromir's point, Gandalf. It is odd that she is to know of the very thing we fight against when no one else does. Elrond was not even able to help us…why can she?"

Again, only silence could be heard from the old wizard for a few moments until his aged voice spoke once again. "That is yet to be seen. Yet there is more about Rogue that you have disregarded. She is haunted by something - though I know not what, I believe it not to be something she willfully listens to…"

Legolas cut in, agreeing. "Yes, I have seen it in her eyes - when I take watch, I have seen how she acts. She wakes often, and -"

Boromir gave a snorting laugh, effectively cutting the elf off. "That much is obvious! There are two - or perhaps more - minds in the same body. And she probably doesn't know which one to listen to. That is not the sign of a sane person…she probably does not even remember what quest she is on half the time."

"Boromir," Gandalf sternly cut in. "I realize you despise the girl, but why must you assume things you have not seen? There is nothing to her that tells us that she is not sane - and I have seen many a person who had long ago lost their mind. No, I fear that while we have a Shadow Creature to fight with, she has even more demons to deal with herself. I can not help be slightly worried with how she will travel by herself once again - "

"It's my fault…" a hobbit voice spoke up.

Gandalf gave a slight 'harumph' before answering. "What, Master Gamgee, is your fault?"

"Rogue leaving. If it weren't for me, she'd still be traveling by herself."

"It is not your fault, Sam. There was no reason for Rogue to be angered so easily by a mere quill," Aragorn tried to quiet Sam.

"But she was right, don't you see? I - we - shouldn't have been looking in houses," Sam continued on.

"It is good that you realize your mistakes, Master Gamgee, but you can not focus on them. There is nothing you can do to erase your actions now, and Aragorn is right - she should have known better than to become angered by your small mistake," Gandalf added in his advice.

Frodo bit his lip, suddenly forgetting about the Company and their discussion. Something from the past had caught his mind's eye…

"Well, at least we know that she really lived in Elithir and she had not deceived us with that fact," Legolas added in.

And without thinking whether he would make sense, Frodo decided to speak. Not explaining what he had been thinking of, he merely spoke what came to his mind - which, to the rest of the Fellowship, did not make sense at first. "The picture…in the house…it was a portrait of Rogue, wasn't it!"

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:-D I would love a review! 


	33. Sweet Meetings

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Disclaimer: Durn. I still don't own LotR!

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A/N: *jumps up and down* Yay! I finally posted another chappy! Here it is! It's a bit 'happier' than the others…sorry if you weren't looking for a happy chapter. It also focuses on Rogue…next chapter we'll be back with the Fellowship. 

Sorry the author's note's a bit long…there was a lot of reviews to respond to! 

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PLEASE REVIEW! THANKIES!

If you have put my fanfiction on you webpage, or know of a webpage that has my work on it, please let me know! I just like to know where my fanfiction is…thanks!

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Tara: Heh…sorry, but this chapter jumps back to Rogue. Next chapter, though (which should be up sooner) will be back with the Fellowship.

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Alexekia2222, Girl of Faith, Pebbles-sama, Joanna, anna, saige, Lasthope, wannabeanelvengirl, Someone, Elfwannabe: Thank you very much! :-P It's nice to know that ya'll like meh story!

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Zeech: *gasp* You're done sticking up for him? I never thought I'd see the day? *grin* LMAO…a spanking. I'll talk to Rogue about that… (AH! Just kidding, just kidding!) I'm sorry about the 'emotional rollercoaster'…it's just the way I am. I'm really sorry…really….really….really…*trails off* Ah, good point…I forgot about Aragorn…and Frodo's…little incidents. Hmm… And, well, it put things short…I don't think I would trust Rogue if I met her in real life. Ah well, that's the way life rolls, now isn't it?!

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Sunflower_seed: Heh heh, thanks for so many reviews! I appreciate them! Don't worry…Rogue won't get attached until later in the story. Way later! Thanks for your input on the R/? debate! I think a lot of people are having that trouble…one moment it's Boromir, another it's Legolas…tehe! An AU fic is 'Alternate Universe'…my fic is only slightly AU. It's when the author changes the Tolkien world around just a little bit…like how the elves are supposed to be gone from the world, but in my fic they're still here. Rogue doesn't really put together the 'Arathorn, Aragorn' thing because she doesn't really remember the man's name…she used to mostly call him the 'grey-eyed man' in elvish. Sooner or later she'll figure it out, though! Rogue and Galadriel don't get along because of the things in the past…don't worry, that will be cleared up before the end of the fic! Hehe…I love the Two Towers, too! I think I have to agree with you…I think Eowyn is better than Arwen/… 

_MidnightMoon:_ LMAO…well, we'll see. Thanks for reviewing! You know, in my other ficcy…the main character is definitely going to fall in love with Legolas. Just in case you're in dire need of some Legolas lovin'…

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Triss: LMAO…'who peed in her cornflakes'…never heard that one before!

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Elbereth94: No problem, I'll send you the chapters whenever you need them! Thanks for the review…sorry for the shortness of the chapters…I fear that this one is a tad short, too…

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Offspring_the_kids_aint_alright: Oh my! I suppose that I'm going to have to tell everybody who I'm going to choose for Rogue's pairing sooner or later, now won't I? Or people might have some major seizures or something. Of maybe I should just wait until it happens…hmm..

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Tora: Oh no! Poor Tora! Here, I hope this didn't come too late to save you! 

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Dk: I'm really sorry about the time that goes between chapters. I'm trying really hard to make that time smaller! :-D 

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Uzulu: Dang! Three days?!?! Thanks for hanging in there that long! And thanks for saying that Rogue isn't aperfect Mary Sue…it's good to have some encouragement every once in a while. Thanks for your input on the R/?. Heh heh! And, oh my, someone that read LOTR Writing Tips! Heh heh…I don't think I will be writing more of it soon because of my lack of time…(see how long it takes me to write this?) Heh heh… But I'll keep you in mind if I ever do!

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Sherri: Hello again! Sorry about the compie problem…I know how that feels..my computer dies a lot too! And I think it's getting to the point the Boromir _does_ genuinely hate Rogue…but I suppose we'll have to wait for some more chapters to see how the Fellowship will react to Rogue again! Heh heh!

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Lady Whight: Thanks for reading! :-P And thanks for your input on the Rogue pairing debate! I probably shouldn't tell you this…but, yes, you are on the right track with the idea of Rogue, in some way, helping create the Shadow Creature.

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Aragothwin ElfBlade: Thanks for reviewing, and liking Rogue! But, I have to admit…I'm a little confused about your question!

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Please, please, please review. I'll love ya forever! :-D 

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Chapter 33: Sweet Meetings 

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Life of lives,  
Beginning to the end.  
We are alive  
Forever.   
**-"The Celts", Enya**

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A week passed as Rogue wandered on through the sheltering trees. The voice had left her alone throughout her days and nights, and she was finally feeling the slow pangs of traveling alone. Even before the Fellowship she normally had at least her horse…yet now she had nothing. Her thoughts often fled towards the Company and how they were without her. 

Her own path of travel also ran through her mind. She would bypass Gondor - the borders would be well protected these days, and Arwen would probably not be fully willing to allow her in - and perhaps spend her time in small coast town. Perhaps if the Fellowship succeeded…perhaps she would be able to gather her dignity and offer her congratulations, along with an apology. By then they would probably not care…but it was better than nothing.

Rogue sighed slightly as the trees began to thin into a stark plain. The sun shone high in the sky, the day slightly after noon. As she came to the last of the trees, she stopped and looked out at the plain, surveying the land she would be walking across for the next few days.

She looked at the plain in surprise…in front of her, no more than a day's walk, a small city sat. Rogue looked at it hesitantly, not remembering it being in existence the last time she had walked the plain. But the image did not waver or falter as she looked at it, and she slowly smiled at the idea of a short refuge in a city. Plus, she had tried to ration out her food that she had taken with her, but it did not last long - she was now left with only lembas bread. She hoped that there would be a least some type of food for sale within the city.

Rogue started to walk forward, sometimes breaking into a slight trot. Her feet traveled lighter than they had for the past few days…the idea of a city brought her spirits up…and even her mind wandered to happier thoughts. 

The sun was showering the plain with its last orange rays as Rogue walked up to the city. Surprisingly, the small city was without a wall…and without guards...or, at least, the guards were not in open view. Her walk slowed down as she came to a dirt road, looking around at the strange city. Buildings (which seemed to be mostly houses) sat alongside the pressed roads. Rickety, wooden carts…which were used to sell goods…were put away for the day, sitting, unused, at the back of some houses. 

There were some people out, working on their homes…making sure the roof didn't leak, or the door would close completely, and they merely raised their heads to gaze at Rogue as she walked about. They said nothing to her, though there were a few chattering conversations in a few yards. As she walked further into the city, she noticed a red building…with the paint chipping off and the roof in disarray…coming up to her right that looked like a tavern. As she came closer, she found the double doors to the entrance were open, leading to the dark room of the tavern. The dank smell of stale beer ran out of the tavern, along with the hollers of the men within. From the sounds of it, they were playing some sort of game within.

Rogue toyed with the idea of entering the tavern…enjoy some recreation from the travels. But she walked onwards, trying to ignore the tavern…trying to focus more on the idea of finding a room for the night. She watched the people as she walked by - they were of all types. Some had fairer skin than others, some more bulky than others…

She sighed slightly as she began to fear that there was no inn in this town. As she turned her eyes down a small side road, she caught site of a man putting his horse in a small stable behind his house. Rogue abruptly changed her course and started walking down this small street, intrigued by what her eyes were showing her. As she walked closer, her vision confirmed what she had seen further away. The man was not a man…but an elf. Tall and graceful, his brown hair fell around his shoulders, two pieces slightly braided.

Rogue stood slightly away from the house, leaning against a lone tree. She watched the man, beginning to wonder once again whether the whole town was just a mirage.

Sensing another presence, the elf turned around, looking for the other person. His gaze fell upon the shadow-cloaked figure of Rogue. They watched each other for several moments, evaluating the other, until the brown-haired elf gave a large smile. "Anédia…my haven't you changed since I last saw you." 

She bit her lip in response, trying to gain control over her emotions. But it didn't last long until she was walking swiftly forward, emotion welling in the brown orbs that were her eyes. "Father…" she managed to rasp out before wrapping herself in warm hug her father offered.

Her father held her in the embrace for several long moments until reluctantly breaking it and backing up slightly. Smoothing a piece of Rogue's brown hair, he gave a soft smile. "Come. Let us talk inside." 

Rogue followed him, trying desperately to stop the tears from running down her face. Wiping them away impatiently, she walked into the wooden house, into a medium-sized kitchen. A small wooden table sat in the middle, while burned merrily in the corner with a bowl of something above it. The walls were painted with a simple brown, and the pots and utensils were all carefully put away - making the kitchen seem extremely tidy. 

Rogue's father pulled out two chairs from the table, sitting in one of them. Rogue willingly took the other, and looked at her father in a sort of amazement. Finally, she found part of her voice. "…I…I…thought you were dead. Elladen and Elrohir told me so."

Again, the warm smile lit up the older elf's face. "And so they thought, my little one. I was wounded…and I traveled by myself for a long while, until I came here. You went with Elladen and Elrohir, yes? And didn't give Elrond too much trouble, I hope?"

Rogue gave a small, guilty smile. "Well, I went with Elladen and Elrohir…that much is certain. But I fear I gave Lord Elrond more trouble than he was expecting."

Laughter escaped from his lips. "Why did I think any less of you, Anédia…now, why do I see you in this part of the country? I have heard that you've become a wanderer, yet…"

Rogue's eyes grew as she heard that news. "How did you know that I wander?"

"Travelers, of course…rumors, gossip…I've been able to piece together the small facts that come in."

"But…if you knew of me…why did you never come back for me? When I was still with Elrond?" Her voice was tinged with sadness and the thought of her father's betrayal as she listened to him.

In response, he reached out and caressed a side of her face. As he stood up, he leaned over and kissed the top of her head, then walked over and grabbed two bowls, setting them down on the table. "My wounds were grievous…I was lucky they were able to treat me here. I did not return to Rivendell for fear that you would come…and I did not want you to see me in such a state. Once I was fully recovered, I felt I owed some of my services to those that had helped me here…so I helped to patch their houses and gather food and the such. For I while, I lost track of time…this place can do that to you, love. By the time I wished to go for you, you had started traveling on your own, and I felt I would only be a hindrance to you." As he spoke, he went to the fire and took the pot that simmered above the red flames, then took it to the table and poured some of the contents into each bowl. "Now, eat some…you seem to have traveled far without much nourishment."

Rogue gave a bright smile before looking down at her soup, watching as various vegetables floated around. "You would not have been a hindrance, Father…the first years of my wandering, I only spent looking for the truth about your death - or life."

He once again smiled. "I wish I had known that longer ago. Now eat…and you can, of course, stay here as long as you wish." 

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Hey…before you leave…click that little 'review' button and drop me a line as to how you liked it! It helps me write future chapters! 


	34. Unexpected Change

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Disclaimer: Durn. I still don't own LotR!

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A/N: Erm…I don't know. Here's another chapter, but I'm not sure how good it is. At least it gets my point across. Thanks for reading!

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If you have put my fanfiction on you webpage, or know of a webpage that has my work on it, please let me know! I just like to know where my fanfiction is…thanks!

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Sherri - nope, nope I'm not done with this story yet! Still got plenty of more chapters ahead of us. And, yes, I do believe everyone should be happy at least once in a while. :-)

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Pyra - Yay! I new reviewer! Thanks for reading this story! I realize that Boromir died in the first book -- but I wanted him back. So here he is! Yay!

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Elbereth94 - I updated quicker! YAY! Lol…you're smart, eh? Not trusting the town. Well, I do believe that you'll have to wait another chapter…or two…until you understand what it's all about. Middle Earth certainly can be tricky, now can't it?!

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Tara- Heh heh, nope the fic hasn't died. And, yes, I'm alive! Amazing, eh? Hopefully you'll understand how the last chapter fits in a bit more as I continue to write…if not, I'll try to explain it to you, okies? Really, it's sort of to build of the character of Rogue, give her a bit more personality. And yes, having her father alive will make things a bit more complicated…but that's how it goes sometimes. Heh heh!

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Alexekia2222- Dun dun dun! Hopefully you won't have to wait long to see the direction of the story!

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Tora - Yea! You're alive! WOO!! ::pokes the troll with a long, wooden stick:: Well, now isn't that a funny creature!

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Wannabeanelvengirl - Thanks for the review!

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Katsumi - Ohmi! I thought I had lost you! Sorry I haven't reviewed on your fics in a while, I'll get around to them, I swear…I just run short on time sometimes. Thanks for understanding the problems of life and updating. Heh heh!

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Uzulu - :-P I'll try and e-mail you the old chapters, and I'll see what I can do about making more (of the Writing Tips and Tricks for LotR Writing). Thanks for reviewing!

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Girl of faith - Lol…thanks for voicing your opinion on the R/? debate! We'll see who's going to win sooner or later! I still haven't decided whether or not I'm just going to tell ya'll or if you'll have to wait and read it to find out. Hmm

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Lady Whight - Heh heh. Thanks for the line! And, well, shabby excuses are…well, I don't know. But I agree, it was a shabby excuse, now wasn't it?!? 

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PLEASE REVIEW! THANKS! 

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Chapter 34: Unexpected Change

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We can see it all from here  
The starless night across the mountain side  
No on left to talk to  
There's nothing left to say   
**-"As the End Draws Near", Sarah McLachlan**

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"What picture?" Gandalf questioned Frodo, his voice perking up in a question. Aragorn listened closely as he lead the group through the half-dead bushes and over the leaf-covered ground. 

Pippin and Merry tried, unsuccessfully, to look innocent -- trying to make it believable that they weren't in the house with Frodo.

Sam's eyes brightened as he remembered the picture. "Yes, I remember that picture -- it was a small girl, Elvish, right, Mister Frodo? With a silver…or was it blue…well, it was some color dress!"

"It was green, wasn't it?" Merry chirped in, forgetting that he was supposedly never in the house while they had been looking at the picture.

"Yes, yes, that was it! A green dress she was wearing…" Frodo answered, looking at Gandalf for confirmation. "Do you think that it was Rogue in the picture? I thought I had seen the girl before -- it would make sense if it was Rogue."

Gandalf thought for several moments, then nodded his head slowly. "Though I have not seen the picture myself, I would trust your judgement, Frodo. And I would only have to assume that the house you had looked through had been hers in earlier years."

"Which would make sense that the quill you have, Sam, is Rogue's," Aragorn added to Gandalf's statement.

The Hobbits, Gandalf, and Aragorn talked sparingly about the new revelation for the next while of their journey, with Boromir silently trudging along. Legolas kept a keen eye -- and ear -- out for orcs or other evil things that might lurk in a forest, but there was nothing but the trees and animals.

The small birds above rustled among the leaves of the trees, and sometimes a scurrying among the bottom foliage could be heard -- some small animal afraid the travelling group might decide to go hunting.

A week and two days passed until the Company finally came to the ending of the forest. It was late morning already, and they were at a standstill…taking stock of what was left to travel and what food was left to eat. Yet something was amiss as they looked out at the plain that lay before them -- a small town, unfortified, sat peacefully in the middle. An hour's walk -- at the most -- and they would be within the city, able to get more food rations. 

The town, however, was new…not one member of the Fellowship could remember the town being built or travelers speaking of it. Even Aragorn, the King of Gondor, admitted to not hearing anything of the town. But they didn't sit long and discuss their options; soon the small group was quickly travelling towards the shelter of the city that lay before them.

It was a little less than an hour's walk when they came to the streets of the town, greeted by no guards or wary villagers. Small rivers of roads traveled through the town, outspurts in all directions. Little houses, some of radically different stature and type than others, sat, off to the sides of the roads. As they traveled further in the Fellowship found small carts near the sides of streets, with venders trying to sell their goods -- everything from fresh fruit to toy puzzles for children.

They slowed down to a stop, Aragorn turning to speak to the group. 

"The town is small -- and friendly, from what can be told of it -- so I suggest we split from our group for a little while and search the town, see what we can find. I will look for a tavern -- or inn, in case we find we need to stay the night --; Gandalf will come with me," Aragorn began to explain.

The old wizard nodded at the directions, showing his agreement. "Boromir, too, will come with us," he kindly added, with Boromir giving a nod in Gandalf's direction.

"We will, then, just look around -- perhaps get some food," Merry piped in innocently enough, the Hobbits starting to walk away.

Aragorn stifled a chuckle before responding the little Halfling. "This time, try looking in no one's house."

An amused smile played upon the golden-haired elf's face as he added in where he would be traveling in the town. "Gimli and I shall look around the town -- see what we can find out about it through the villagers…or just the town it self."

The two men and the wizard gave their farewells and began to continue to walk forward down the dirt road. Legolas and Gimli retraced their steps until they came to a branch in the road to the right. Walking rather silently along, they slowly came to a stop as they rounded a corner and heard laughter be caught on a slight breeze.

A house stood a little further down the road, houses across from it and to the left of it only, and a girl leaned against a hardy, young tree near the front of the house. She was laughing at a rambunctious, sleek, black-haired dog that was playfully chasing a small girl -- not older than ten -- around while nibbling on a palm-sized piece of bread…which could only be lembas bread.

Brown hair swung wildly about her shoulders as the breeze caught it, yet the dark-eyed girl didn't seem to mind.

Legolas glanced down at Gimli, who's eyebrows had shot up in surprise. 

"Looks like we found our runaway elf," Gimli muttered.

The fair-haired elf nodded at his friend's statement. "And in better spirits than we last saw her…I suppose we should try and talk to her, do you think, Gimli? Perhaps she would be willing to rejoin the Fellowship -- if the rest would allow?" 

"I suppose we shall…she doesn't seem to even remember the quill now."

As the two continued their trek towards the house, the young girl and her dog began to bound off as a young woman came out of a neighboring house and began calling for her child. Laughing at the girl's eagerness and energy, Rogue waved and said her good-byes to the young girl. "I'll see you tomorrow, Elinith!" The brown-haired elf looked over at the road sharply, however, as she heard walking coming down from the street in front of her house. Seeing Legolas and Gimli, her eyes darkened nervously. Once they were close to her house, she finally spoke. "What are you doing here…?"

"We came across this town as we walked across the plain -- the same as you, I expect. We hoped to get more food, and perhaps spend the night," Legolas explained.

"I don't suppose you know anything about this town, do you? Perhaps its name?" Gimli gruffly inquired.

Rogue looked at the two, almost appraising them to see if they were angry at her, or would, perhaps, try to attack her for some reason. Biting her lip and trying to be nonchalant, she looked around at the town. "It's called Lesingard -- though I didn't know that until I came her. I came her, I suppose, just as you…I knew nothing of this town before I saw it. But I believe this is where I will be staying for a while. The townspeople are nice, and I have a home for a while."

"That is good news -- how did you come across the house?" Legolas asked, trying to make small chatter and make Rogue lose her uneasiness.

Silence struck the girl, however, for several minutes. But when her voice came back, she gave a small, true smile at the two companions. "Actually, I found my father lived in this town…I've long believed him to be dead, so I am staying with him for a while." Giving a pause, she then continued, some of her nervousness lost in the remembrance that she had found her father. "If you will be in town for a little while -- why do you two not come in? We have some food already made inside, and I'm sure it's been long since you've had something other than lembas bread…"

Legolas held back his surprise at the invitation skillfully, though it was Gimli that was to speak first. "Well, that is unexpectedly kind of you, Rogue. And we would be more than willing…but your father, who I assume is elven also, would most likely have a small fit over having a dwarf in his house?" 

A smile cracked on the girl's face as she turned to walk to the door of the house. "My father is elven, yes, but I would not ever believe him to be hateful towards dwarves. Most elves are, yes, but he's -- we've -- always been away from the elven lands. Many a visitor came to our house when I was young…and I remember more than one dwarf being among the visitors. I believe he would be quite willing to welcome you into our house, Gimli."

She walked into the house, leaving the door open, expecting the elf and dwarf to follow her automatically. The two friends looked at each other for understanding of Rogue's suddenly friendly behavior, but found none -- so Legolas began to walk towards the house, with Gimli on his heels. The smell of a boiling stew hit the two as they walked into the kitchen and took a look around.


End file.
